


For the Ones You Change

by apenny12



Series: For the Ones Trilogy [2]
Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Horror, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-25
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-01-20 17:13:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 107,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1518680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apenny12/pseuds/apenny12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Sequel to For the Ones You Love*</p><p>*Post season 4*</p><p>The group has found themselves held against their will in a boxcar within the 'sanctuary' of Terminus. The people of Terminus believe to have themselves a smooth operation going, but what they don't realize is that they have never met Rick Grimes and his group.</p><p>A caged animal does not make it tame...</p><p>*Rating for adult situations, graphic depictions of violence, and language.*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.

 **BIG THANK YOU TO** Nicole137137 (fanfiction (dot) net) for taking the time to send me edits for this chapter!! You're wonderful!!

****

It had been a full day since they had been locked up in the railway car, judging by the position of the sun. Glenn, Maggie, and the rest had been there approximately a full day, maybe two at the most, before Rick's group had waltzed into the car.

They hadn't been brought food or water, but none of them expected as much. Glenn had said they didn't get anything to eat or drink the first twenty-four hours either. The meager meal they did receive consisted of a little bread, a bottle of water for them all to share, and some meat.

Glenn pointed out that no one had been interested in the charred, grilled flesh.

Rick had taken a great interest in getting to know Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, and Tara. Beth assumed the several hours he had spent listening to their backgrounds was to assess their skills; figure out where they best fit into the group.

Daryl had become Rick's shadow, talking with him privately at the end of the boxcar, and Beth hoped they were coming up with a plan. The longer they stayed in the rail car, the weaker they got, and the less chance they had of escaping.

"How'd you get out?" Maggie asked from where she sat next to Beth.

They hadn't spoken much. Beth had been getting to know their new friends, exploring the small space they were trapped in trying to conjure an escape route, and enjoying the fact that her sister was alive. They had mostly held hands and sat in silence, listening to what everyone else had to say.

"I got off the bus to try and find the kids who were missing. Lizzie, Mika, Judith, and some of the others weren't on the bus. I couldn't find 'em. I looked as much as I could, but I just…I didn't have time. Daryl and I ran into each other. We left together. Then we traveled together for'ah while," Beth kept her face passive, not wanting to alert her sister to any unnecessary explanations.

The past was the past. She had survived. She was with her sister now. Nothing of what happened was Daryl's fault. There was no reason to get bogged down by the details.

"And then what?" Maggie inquired.

Beth wasn't sure if Maggie was able to see through her or if she wasn't satisfied with her vague answer. She had hoped that she wasn't as much of an open book to people anymore. Then again, Maggie was her sister. She knew all of Beth's mannerisms. It was possible that she'd never be able to completely hide her pages from Maggie.

"We got separated. Herd ambushed us while we were in this…house. I'd hurt my ankle earlier that day so Daryl played bait while I got out. Then…we jus' got separated. I couldn't find him. Spent tha' winter in the utility closet of a sporting goods store I had found. Ended up comin' across his group when the weather warmed back up," Beth answered as honestly as she could. She omitted certain details, but there was no point in dwelling on what had happened.

"You spent the entire winter _alone_?" Maggie's grip had tightened so much that Beth's fingers were going numb.

The way her eyes danced between Beth's and the slight furrow of her brows were all signs that Maggie was trying very hard to control her emotions. Beth felt a sort of relief by Maggie's reaction. At least she could still read her sister as well as her sister read her. Of all the things that had changed that, at least, had remained.

"Yeah," Beth nodded.

Maggie sat very still. Beth felt like she was under a microscope. Then Maggie leaned over, letting go of her hand in the process, and hugged Beth. She heard a quiet sniffle by her ear and felt herself immediately tearing up. They hadn't been able to mourn their father together, and they didn't have the luxury of time to do so where they were at, but they could at least have a brief moment of weakness to appreciate what they had left.

"I'm so sorry I whadn't there. I _tried_ to find you. I got off the bus looking for you. I got separated from Glenn because I didn't make it back to the bus in time. When I found the bus, full ah' walkers, I became so determined with finding Glenn, that I jus' assumed you'd be with him. I assumed everyone would be with ' if I found Glenn, everything else would fall into place and be alright," Maggie inhaled a stuttering breath, " _I'm so sorry Bethy_."

At the nickname, tears spilled from Beth's eyes. The last time she'd heard that name, if had come from the worn, southern voice of her father. She wrapped her arms around Maggie, grasping at her over shirt, and hugged her fiercely. Beth blinked back more tears, looking around the cart to try and keep the second wave at bay, when she caught Daryl staring at her.

The look he gave her was so intense that she had to turn her sight elsewhere. Any other time she would have been curious as to why he was looking her over so intently, but right now, his hard gaze only made her feel frail. She had worked very hard to not only make herself physically stronger, but also more resilient mentally. She didn't want to feel weak anymore.

When Maggie pulled back, Beth gave her a genuine smile, "It's okay Mags. I'm here. You're here. We'll get out of this place and it'll just be our group again."

"When did you get so confident?" Maggie let out a breathy laugh, wiping her tear stained checks with the sleeves of her shirt.

Beth pondered on the question for a moment. Thinking back on everything she had been through since her days on their farm, Beth answered somberly, "Good people don't survive in this world anymore. Everyone had to change to make it this far."

"There are still good people Beth. You're a good person. Glenn, Rick, even Daryl," Maggie's words were an echo of Beth's own.

She looked over at Daryl, who had resumed his discussion with Rick, and a thoughtful smile shaped her lips, "The good ones don't survive."

Maggie must have sensed the knowledge behind Beth's words because she didn't comment any further on the subject. Instead, Beth felt Maggie's hand wrap around hers and received two firm presses around her palm. Beth looked down at the wooden floor she was sitting on and squeezed back.

' _Thank you for understanding._ '

Beth hadn't talked to Daryl since their 'moment' before Glenn came out of the shadows of the rail car. She would catch him looking at her every so often, but he hadn't approached her. That was fine by her. She had no idea what she would say to him anyway.

"So you 'n the redneck?" An unfamiliar voice came from across where she sat.

"Pardon?" Beth looked over at the person who had spoken, not realizing she had been staring at Daryl talking with Rick and the muscular ginger; Abraham he had said his name was.

Rick had spent most of his time talking with Abraham. The muscular man had a military background, looked like he could pull his own weight, and was something of a strategist himself. All traits Rick and Daryl could appreciate.

"You and him?" The girl asked again, using her index finger to point between the two of them.

"Tara, wasn't it?" Beth asked with a friendly smile.

"Yeah," Tara blinked a few times, but didn't return the smile, instead looking down at her feet from where she leaned against the boxcar wall.

"Daryl and me...Daryl helped me get out of the prison. Taught me some basic survival skills. Thanks to him I've gotten pretty decent with a crossbow," Beth explained.

Tara nodded, keeping her eyes trained on the floorboards.

"I want to thank you…for helping Glenn. He means everything to my sister. The two of them…" Beth paused causing Tara to look up at her, "The group is my family now, but they're the only _real_ family I have left."

Beth was too tired to get choked up. Or maybe she was farther into the grieving process than she had originally thought. Then again, maybe she hadn't even started the process? She'd had a few cries, but nothing she felt was deserving of the loss of her father.

"You don't gotta' thank me. He helped me too. I was alone. I would've died if he hadn't let me come with him," Tara proclaimed.

"Even so," Beth looked over to where Maggie and Glenn were standing; listening to Rick, Daryl, and Abraham talk, "thanks."

"Yeah…sure…" Tara gave a quick smile, but said nothing more.

Beth awoke with a jerk. She remembered talking to Tara, then leaning her head back against the wall to rest her eyes for a moment, and then nothing. How long had she been asleep? She glanced around the boxcar, noticing the light had taken on a yellow-orange hue, but everyone was almost exactly where they had been before she had drifted off.

Daryl, Abraham, Daryl, the Hispanic girl, Rosita, and another stockily built man who she hadn't caught his name, were all sitting around Rick. All of them engrossed in their conversation spoken in tones so hushed not even Beth could hear them from where she sat. Glenn and Maggie had moved, sitting in the farthest part of the train car, while Michonne sat close enough to Rick to hear the discussion, but right next to Carl, and Tara still sat across from her. What she hadn't expected was Sasha and Bob to be sitting right next to her.

"How long have I been out?" She asked in a rough voice.

"Maybe an hour or two?" Sasha guesstimated.

"You were tired so we didn't want to wake you," Bob spoke up from the other side of Sasha, "but Rick and the group think they have a plan on how to get us out of here."

"Yeah?" Beth sat up, immediately regretting it.

"What's wrong?" Sasha asked, leaning up to grasp Beth's rigid shoulders.

"Daryl and I were runnin' with a group. They were after some guy. Turned out to be Rick. It was us or them," Beth didn't need to elaborate, "Daryl had two guys on him. I was trying to help and got myself smashed into a vehicle a couple'ah times."

Bob was now squatting in front of her, holding her chin in his hand, examining her eyes, "Have you had any trouble focusing, headache, double vision?"

"My head hurts. Things get a lil' fuzzy from time t'time, but I think that's more from sleep deprivation," Beth replied, struggling to conceal her discomfort.

"Have you lost consciousness?" He let go of her chin to rest his fingers against her wrist; checking her pulse.

"Yeah," Beth didn't see the point in tiptoeing around the subject.

"Sasha, help me get her up so I can check her ribs," Bob gestured.

Slowly, using Sasha for support, Beth got up to her knees. She grit her teeth, hissing every time she moved or tightened her torso, but never voiced the explicit words running through her head. By now Maggie was right behind Bob, hovering, and Daryl behind her. Beth didn't look at either of them. She was in too much pain to do anything but try focus on what Bob had asked her to do; stand up. Finally getting to her feet, Beth turned and braced both hands against the wall, letting her head drop between her arms.

"Sasha, lift the back of her shirt up a bit," Bob instructed, now wanting to act too familiar with Beth.

Maggie's gasp was enough to let Beth know her back was _not_ a pretty sight, "What the hell _happened_ to you?"

Beth couldn't answer. It hurt to breath, making it impossible to speak, her head hurt, she felt dizzy, and she _really_ wanted to cry in pain.

"She said she got into a fight with some guys while trying to help Daryl," Sasha answered for her.

" _What?_ " Maggie's voice sounded further away. Beth guessed she had probably turned around to bow up to Daryl.

"Whadn't like that. Group we were with was after this guy. We didn't know it was Rick. They were gonna' kill 'em," Daryl's voice sounded like music to her ears.

She was in so much pain that just hearing his voice was like a dose of medicine. She had come to realize she rather liked his voice, even before the prison fell, but in her current state, all she wanted was some Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Daryl's voice was the next best thing.

Bob poked and prodded at her ribs, and while it was uncomfortable, it didn't hurt as much as Beth had anticipated. Now that she was up and moving a bit, the initial pain had subsided. A dull ache still throbbed every time she breathed, but her head hurt more than her ribs.

"She's got some nasty bruising, but I don't think anything is fractured or broken," Bob stepped back, "Probably more stiff than anything. Her head is what worries me though. She has a pretty severe concussion. The kind that would have doctors keeping her in the hospital overnight…if we still had those."

Beth readjusted her shirt and turned around to lean against the wall, careful of her lower back, and faced the crowd that had gathered around them. She kept her eyes on Bob as he spoke, but risked a glance at Daryl who was already staring her down.

"So what do we do?" Maggie sounded somewhat panicked.

"Back in tha' day," Bob said with a bit of jive, "we could monitor her a bit better than now. There are several different ways to treat a concussion, none of which we can do now. Some doctors would say sleep is fine, others would say no sleep at all the first twenty-four hours, but she's gonna' need to rest."

"Get'on with it," Daryl motioned with his hand, clearly agitated.

"I say if you're tired, sleep," Bob spoke directly to Beth, "and we'll make sure someone wakes you up every half an hour, or what we can guess to be half an hour, to check your symptoms. The first twenty-four hours are the most crucial, but since you haven't slept in those twenty-four hours the early danger has already passed. Just have to make sure the symptoms don't get worse."

"'Kay," Beth nodded.

"Well," Rick spoke up from behind Daryl, "since we're already gathered together it's time we discuss our plan."

Carl came to stand by Beth. She looked down to him and smiled, relieved they were finally going to get things underway. They had been there too long already. The others had been there longer, but Beth felt like their time was drawing near. It was a gut feeling and she had learned to _always_ trust when she felt a hunch.

"We've been going over our options. We thought of trying to overpower whoever brought us food, but the likelihood of it being a single member or that there won't be snipers, prepared for such an event, on the roof is slim. The ventilation hole has been sealed so there's no gettin' out that way. We could try to get the door to jump the rail it's attached to, compromisin' the lock on the outside, but that would require tools we don't have," Rick explained, "That's when Eugene here brought somethin' to our attention."

Eugene, the larger man with an impressive eighty's style mullet, nodded to Rick, "The floor of this rail car is comprised of wood. Most likely oak for its durability. We're lookin' at each plank being approximately ten inches wide, two inches thick, running the width of an estimated nine and a half feet."

Beth suddenly felt like she was back in high school listening to a lecture. Eugene's voice was monotone, but the way he spoke the facts so confidently made her wonder what his profession was _before_.

"Due to the amount of time this car has been untreated and the inclinations of Georgia's rainy season through the months of January through March, there is a high probability of wood decay due to the exposed cracks that would allow rain to settle on top of the planks," Eugene finished, standing awkwardly in place.

"Sooo…basically you're sayin' there's a chance that we can pry up the floor and sneak out from underneath the train car?" Glenn summarized.

"Theoretically. Yes," Eugene amended, "If we were somehow able chip away the wood around the bolts, with enough force, the possibility of up-heaving the boards is in the ninetieth percentile."

"Right…so…we pry up the boards and it's a straight drop to the ground?" Glenn inquired.

Everyone looked down between their feet at the cracks between the floorboards. Much to Beth's relief, a sliver of gravel and railway track could be seen between the wooden planks.

"How many boards we talkin'?" Daryl's voice sounded gruff. Beth couldn't see his face from where he was staring at the floor, his hand stroking his beard in thought, but she could tell by the way he was carrying himself that he was exhausted.

"I'd say two…three to accommodate all of us," Rick's response somber, "So long as we get one pried up, the other two should follow with relative ease."

"So I guess the next question is how are we supposed to chip away the wood?" Sasha asked from the other side of Beth, "none of us got to keep our weapons."

Rick smirked as he pulled of his coat, "Perk of bein' a cop was knowin' the most inconspicuous places to hide a weapon. It insured that we'd check those places too."

Beth leaned forward so she could watch Rick as he laid his coat on the ground. His hands traced the hem of his coat until he apparently found what he was looking for. When his hand disappeared into an aftermarket slit made in the mid-section of the interior lining, she smiled. His hand soon reappeared and he was holding a medium sized pocket knife. Beth could have cried at his genius.

"I'll be Got' damned," Daryl laughed, patting Rick on the shoulder.

Beth felt like her chest was about to burst in the many emotions coursing through her; excitement, relief, happiness, but mostly determination. They had a plan, it was simple, and they could execute it. She just hoped they had the time to do so. They'd all die before they let anyone be taken from the train car, but the prospect of dying versus escaping Terminus…she just prayed they had enough time.

"So if they hold to the same schedule as they did when Glenn's group arrived, a bit of food and water every forty-eight hours, we can expect rations as some point in the near future," Rick suggested from where he knelt on the floor, "So I say we have someone on lookout, keeping an eye out for anyone approaching the car from the crack in the door. Meanwhile we have someone chippin' away at the wood. We all take shifts so not one person wears themselves out. We make a run for the fence in the middle of the night. I have guns buried in a bag just over the fence. We'll decide our next course of action once we're all out of this car."

"What about those guys who were behind the fence when we got cornered here?" Carl pointed out.  
"You think they'd still be there?" Rick asked looking around the group.

"Could be," Daryl shrugged his shoulders.  
"Then Michonne will scout ahead. She's the hardest to detect and can get over and back with the most ease," Rick affirmed.

"Is that a pun at the color of my skin?" Michonne's facial expression gave away nothing.

Rick must have been able to read her regardless because he paused, stared up at her for a moment, and then shook his head and laughed, "I was actually referring to your skills in the art'ah stealth."

"Mmm hmm…" Michonne was smiling now.

"I'll start with the wood," Abraham stepped forward and took the knife from Rick.

"I'll take first watch," Rosita volunteered, the first time Beth had ever heard her voice.

"This might actually work," Sasha looked up to Bob who nodded in reply.

The obvious relief that everyone felt filled the boxcar. Beth looked to Maggie, Glenn, down to Carl beside her, and then to Daryl. When he looked up at her, the smile she gave him must have translated to how she felt, because for the first time in forever, Daryl smiled back.


	2. Chapter 2

 

**A/N:** I now have a BETA. Nicole137137 (YOU ARE AWESOME) from fanfiction (dot) net has graciously volunteered to edit my chapters before I post them. We're both human beings so please don't stroke out on us if we miss an error or two! : 3

To everyone who has left a review on any of my three Daryl x Beth stories...THANK YOU! All of you guys are amazing! You have _all_ definitely kept me inspired to keep writing! XOXO Thanks again for all the support and enjoy the new chapter! : )

…

The steady thumping of the small, dull blade against softened wood had acted as a sort of white noise for Beth. She felt her eyes drooping and shook her head to fight off her weariness. She still felt a throbbing pain in the back of her head, but it had begun to subside as the day wore on.

"If yer' tired you should get some rest," Beth heard shuffling beside her followed by the sound of someone sliding down the wall to sit on the floor.

She forced her eyes open, recognizing the voice, and found Daryl sitting with his elbow propped up on his knees, picking at his fingers. His hands hung limply off his knees, giving the appearance that he was completely relaxed, but the sharpness of his eyes and the taunt lining of his shoulders made Beth aware that it was quite the opposite. He was on edge. She couldn't help feeling a sudden anxiety from his demeanor.

"I'm not gonna' sleep. Not when everyone else is so keyed up. We've gotta' be ready in case somethin' happens," Beth whispered.

Daryl nodded, glancing at her a few times from the corner of his eyes, but made no further comment.

These were the times she appreciated Daryl's awkwardness. He wasn't going to bring up the what might or might not have been a moment before Glenn made his presence known, therefore she felt no discomfort in an upcoming confrontation on the matter. She could just pretend is was due to adrenaline induced circumstances and move on. No harm done to their friendship.

She was also grateful that he knew her well enough to understand when to argue with her and when she was doing what she felt was right. Maggie would've immediately fired back with how Beth 'needed her rest' while Daryl accepted her decisions. Maggie was her sister, and sister's looked out for each other, but Beth didn't need to be coddled.

"You okay?" Beth asked, running her eyes over his wounds.

"Yeah. Used t'fightin'. I've had worse. Whatta' 'bout you?" Daryl glanced at her.

"I'm okay," Beth sighed, dropping her head back against the wall and closing her eyes.

"Uh huh, an' _the sun rises in tha' west_ _,"_ Daryl huffed.

Beth couldn't stifle her giggle, "What's _that_ supposed t'mean?"

"Means exactly what you think," Daryl cut his eyes to her.

"I promise. I'm fine. Jus' a lil' sore. Head hurts a bit, but nothin' I can't handle," Beth pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her cheek against them so she could stare at Daryl.

Daryl kept his gaze on her until he sighed and nodded once more, going back to fumbling with his fingers. They sat in silence. Beth, having turned her head to rest her chin on her knees, looked around the darkening train car. Rick had taken over for Abraham, steadily chipping away at the wooden floor. Tara sat by Rosita, keeping her company while on lookout, and Sasha, Bob, Maggie, and Glenn all sat against the back wall catching up on how they escaped the prison. Michonne and Carl sat near Rick, having a quiet conversation amongst the three of them. Eugene was the only one standing, pacing in front of Abraham, discussing what Beth might have understood to be a video game called _Fallout 3_? She hadn't had any sort of gaming system on the farm, as she had enough to keep her occupied , but he kept mumbling about post-apocalyptic this and nuclear-fallout that. She couldn't help but wish they had a vault they could all hide in.

"Do you ever wish you could go back to your life _before_? Like…I mean obviously no one wants walkers roamin' the Earth, but I mean, did you have some bucket list of things you wished you would've done?" She turned back to look at Daryl.

"You know what I was doin' before," Daryl replied skeptically.

"Yeah, but…that doesn't mean you didn't have things you wanted for yer'self," Beth countered.

Beth could see him working on his bottom lip, but didn't hold her breath thinking Daryl would say what was hidden behind his lips. Instead she took the focus off him, thinking maybe if she revealed her once-upon-a-dreams, he would feel comfortable enough to share in return.

"I woulda' been the salutatorian of my class. Wanted to move off and go to college in the big city, maybe the University of Georgia and study music. Or maybe become a vet like daddy? I hadn't really decided yet. Jimmy and I would have parted ways after high school. He wouldn't have left rural Georgia to live in the city. So maybe I'd meet a guy in college who'd sweep me off my feet? Get my own apartment. Start my own family someday," She couldn't help smiling at the recollection of her past dreams. It had been a while since she let herself daydream.

She caught herself, realizing she was grinning into space, and turned her attention back to Daryl. He was staring at her with a guarded expression. An expression she recognized when he was on the verge of saying something that could have judgement passed on him.

"It was dumb. I know. Silly fairytales that ah' young, high school girl, who had _no clue_ what tha' real world was like, entertained," Beth sighed; resting her chin on her knees once more.

They sat in silence. The murmur of quiet conversations and the steady thumbing against wood resounded within their confined space. Beth suddenly felt very self-conscious at admitting her visions of the future. She knew Daryl. Knew they were beyond coming to conclusions about each other. She also knew he'd had a rough life and hoped she hadn't come across as these were things she felt 'entitled' to.

"If the world hadn't gone t'shit, you'd have deserved all those things," Daryl said in a voice so quiet Beth barely heard him.

She smiled, her eyes watering at how sincere Daryl sounded for her sake, "Ya' think?"

"Yeah. Yer' good Beth. Too good," Daryl replied just as softly.

Beth sat up, stretching her legs out in front of her, and studied Daryl. She caught him peeking at her from the corner of his eye several times, but he wouldn't meet her stare. He was making an underlying reference in his statement and Beth didn't like it. Daryl was just as good, just as deserving of good things, as anyone else she knew. Probably more so _because_ of everything he had already gone through in life. She wasn't going to let him think otherwise.

Taking a steadying breath, Beth steeled her nerves, and reached for Daryl's hand. She laced her fingers through his and brought their hands down to her lap. He didn't fight her, didn't try to pull away, but didn't much return the gesture either.

"You listen' here Daryl Dixon," her tone caught his attention. When he finally looked at her Beth went on, "In the world we live in, there is no such thing as too good. We live each day fighting to see tha' next. Who we were _before_ is not the people we are now. We all had t'change in order to survive."

He didn't reply. He stared at her as if she was a puzzle that he couldn't quite fit all the pieces to. When a full minute passed and he had yet to acknowledge her statement she decided to take a different approach.

Squeezing his large hand in her smaller one, she continued, "Maggie made me recollect somethin'."

"What's that?" He asked in genuine curiosity.

"There _are_ still good people in the world," Beth answered calmly.

"After everythin' we been through, you're gonna' spout off 'bout that nonsense again?" Daryl scoffed indignantly.

"It's not nonsense," Beth furrowed her brows at him.

"Yeah…well…," he paused, "Rick's always done right by me. Maggie and Glenn too. Michonne. Carl's got his faults, but he's ah' good kid. Sasha ain't so bad neither. An' you."

Daryl focused on his unoccupied hand, "I got my qualms with Bob."

Beth wondered for a moment what he meant by 'qualms,' but Daryl went silent and Beth knew he was through discussing the matter. She could have asked what he meant, she was confident he would have answered her, but the serious look on his face kept her question sealed behind her lips. Instead she chose to focus on what he hadn't said.

"You're a good person too Daryl," she wrapped her other arm around their joined hands, hugging them to her chest.

He cocked his head to the side, his eyes boring into hers, and Beth felt compelled to repeat herself.

"You're a _good_ person."

Daryl's focus danced between their hands and her face. He was conflicted, but Beth held his hand firmly. She wasn't going to let him be alone. Not anymore. People couldn't do things alone anymore. _She_ didn't want to be alone ever again.

"Seems I _do_ need you t'remind me," Daryl finally said; referring to their conversation on the porch of the moonshiner's cabin.

"Thought you said you've never relied on anyone for anything?" Beth relaxed the arm hugging their hands and let it fall to her side, replacing their linked hands to her lap.

"Some people turned out t'be reliable," Daryl answered vaguely.

Beth smiled, her chest filling with pride, accepting the compliment he had just given her. He hadn't expressly said she alone was reliable, but she knew she was included on his list. Riding the euphoria and not worrying about barriers and invisible lines, Beth moved on a whim. Leaning over, she felt the cool material of leather press against her temple. Her head was jarred with the initial tension that assailed Daryl's shoulders. When he finally relaxed, Beth adjusted herself to get more comfortable.

She was suddenly very tired. Maybe it was the relief in knowing Daryl was right there that she could allow herself to unwind. Maybe it was the earthy scent mixed with leather and oil that lingered on his clothes from cleaning his crossbow. Maybe it was just the combination of having a concussion and sleep deprivation. Whatever it was that caused Beth to struggle to keep her eyes open was winning. When her eyes finally came to a close, she felt the rumble of Daryl's voice as much as she heard him when he spoke.

"I've never wished I could go back," Daryl's voice came out steady.

Beth's mind was beginning to fog over. She managed a hum in question, not exactly sure what he was referring to.

"T' _before_. Can't say I ever once thought about tha' future back then. I have more now than I ever did," she felt his jaw tighten against the top of her head, "I'd still be driftin'. Followin' Merle."

Beth forced her eyes open; giving this rare moment of Daryl opening up her full attention. She mulled over his reply, thinking her words over before she answered him. They had shared a lot about their personal lives during their time together, but this was different. This was something else.

"We've both changed from the first time we met on the farm. We've grown. We've both lost people," she took a deep breath, "Outta' all the bad that has happened, I can't say that I haven't wished things would go back to the way they were _before_. I was happy _before_. Then...I get this empty feelin' in my gut because I know...I _know_ that if things were still the same, I would'ah never met anyone. Not Rick, Carl, Lori, Andrea, Michonne…Maggie would'ah never met Glenn."

She lifted her head, ignoring the raw throb behind her eyes, to say her next phrase directly to Daryl's face, "If the walkers had never happened, I would'ah never met you."

"Prolly been for tha' best," Daryl turned away to rest his head against the wall behind him, staring up at the roof.

"No. I'm glad that outta' all the people I could've gotten out with when the prison fell...that it was _you_ ," Beth expressed. She hoped her words reached him the same way she felt when she said them.

Daryl's head lulled around in her direction. She gave him a brief smile and tucked her head under his chin to reclaim her place on his shoulder. She squeezed his hand again, communicating with him the same way she did with Maggie. She wasn't sure he would understand, but it didn't matter. It just felt like the right thing to do.

She closed her eyes, intent on giving into sleep, when she felt it; a tight pressure around her hand. She smiled wider. Daryl may not have known exactly what her action had meant, but he had returned it. That was enough. There wasn't much to translate from his reciprocation; it was just as simple as her gesture to him.

" _I'm glad it was you too."_

…

Beth's eyes flew open. The sun had turned from golden-orange to crimson, signaling the last light before the sun completely set. Everyone was bustling around the car and Beth had no idea what was going on. She felt a pressure atop her head and lifted her sight as far as she was able. The pressure instantly lifted and Beth recognized the rosy spot on Daryl's cheek from where he had fallen asleep against her. She might have smiled and teased him a bit if she wasn't so confused. Daryl must have felt the same because the look he gave her was filled with apprehension.

"What's goin' on?" Beth asked Maggie as she stood with Daryl's help.

Maggie was peering out of the crack of the box car's door. Rosita and Tara were on the opposite end of the car so Beth deduced that Maggie had taken over watch sometime while she had fallen asleep. Rick, Michonne, and Carl looked just as bewildered as Beth felt. They too must have taken the opportunity to catch some shut eye. Bob and Sasha were frantic by the board Rick had been chipping away at near the rear axle. Bob handed the closed knife to Sasha who cleverly shoved the closed utensil into her bra.

"We got visitors. Think they're bringin' us our rations," Maggie murmured.

"Alright, everyone act natural," Glenn extended his hands, palms open, in a placating manner.

"We're prisoners in a cannibal's 'sanctuary.' Not sure that falls under the 'normal' category," Michonne's anger seeped through even as she whispered.

"We can't let them see the floor," Carl announced; a tremor in his voice.

"We can't all stand in front of it. It'd look suspicious," Rick looked to everyone for suggestions.

Beth looked to Maggie, "How close are they?"

"Couple'ah yards. They'll be here in a few minutes," Maggie stepped away from the door, not wanting to arouse any initial doubt from their server.

"How much is left Bob?" Abraham asked approaching the boards.

"There's just the wood around the last bolt. Should be done within the next hour or so at the rate we're goin'," Bob stated, looking between Abraham and the floor.

"They see what we're doing, we're dead," Rosita fretted.

"The likelihood of them noticing the floor in such dense visibility is slim," Eugene murmured morosely beside Rosita.

"That's just not a chance we can take," Glenn acknowledged.

There was a banging on the door, a creaking of the metal as the lock mechanism was turned, and everyone inside the car became deathly quiet. Beth noticed movement to her left and watched as Sasha made a last ditch to save their escape plan.

"Meal time," an unfamiliar face appeared in the opened doorway, "Anyone tries any funny business and our eyes up above will end everyone one ah' you."

The light, as hazy as it may have been in the setting sun, still blinded Beth. She managed to squint enough to see snipers with their sights trained on the car from the rooftops diagonally from them. She counted four, but with the car being so close to a building in front of them, she was unable to see if more snipers lurked on that roof as well.

"What's wrong with her?" The man pointed toward Sasha after he tossed a few bottles of water and a brown paper bag into the middle of the floor.

Sasha sat on the floor effectively hiding the board from view, a few feet away from the wall, with her knees propped up and her head resting between them. She hugged her legs tightly, looking as if she was in pain. Beth had to hand it to her; her quick thinking had likely saved them all, so long as the man didn't order her to move.

"From the looks of how much food we're given, my guess is that she's starvin'. Not feeling well," Rick commented.

The Terminian eyed her, as if she had some sort of lethal disease, but seemed to accept Rick's suggestion.

"What? No meat?" Daryl mouthed off, bending down to the rifle through the brown paper bag.

"Be happy you get anything," the man sneered, turning on his heel and bolting out of the rail car.

It wasn't until the metal handled locked into place and footsteps were heard retreating their location that everyone took a deep breath. Beth squatted down; the anxiety making her feel light headed.

"Could you not be a smart ass the next time we're trying _not_ to attract attention?" Maggie huffed, glaring at Daryl.

"Hey, it was your ball n' chain that tole' everyone to act 'normal,'" Daryl replied, pulling two pieces of bread out of the bag. He didn't spare Maggie a glance as he snatched up a bottle of water and moved back to sit by Beth.

"That's a good way to get yer'self killed," Beth smiled as she accepted the piece of bread Daryl gave her.

"What? That guy whadn't gonna' do nothin'," Daryl took a bite.

"I wasn't talkin' about the guy," Beth took a bite out of her own roll.

"Mmm," Daryl nodded, "I always been told it was the quiet ones you gotta' watch out for."

Beth gave him a knowing smile, "It's true ya' know."

"Oh I'm aware," Daryl gave a smirk as he drank from the bottled water.

He handed the bottle to her and Beth had a moment of déjà vu. Daryl must have read her mind because he rolled his eyes and shoved the remainder of his roll into his mouth.

"Gorss," Beth murmured, taking a sip, trying to ignore Daryl's terrible manners.

The steady knocking of wood being whittled away resumed before Beth had taken her second bite. It was obvious that everyone was ready to put distance between themselves and their confinement and Beth was tired of sitting around waiting.

Daryl stood and Beth followed him with her eyes, "I'm gonna' take over for Bob. Get this bitch done."

"'Kay," Beth stood and dusted off her jeans with her free hand, "I'm gonna' take watch. Do somethin' useful."

Daryl grunted, bending down to snatch up the water bottle, and walked to the other end of the box car. Beth watched him exchange a few stilted words with Bob, took the knife, and began hacking away at the wood around the last bolt. Beth popped the last bit of her roll into her mouth and approached Maggie.

"I'll take over," Beth toed Maggie's boot with her own, "You go get some rest. Won't be long an' we'll be outta' here."

"Alright," Maggie accepted, "Just holler if you need me. I'll just be right over there with Glenn."

Beth nodded and leaned against the wall so she could peek through the crack of the door. Nightfall had begun to set in and it wouldn't be long before watch wouldn't be necessary. They wouldn't be able to see anything in the darkness until it was too late. Beth glanced at Daryl. One of his muscular arms held his weight while the other used the knife to dig into rotted wood. He'd jar a few pieces free, pull back, and then repeat the process. He was working faster than Bob and Rick both had; the rhythm of the thumping was much more rigorous. They would be out of here soon.

" _Soon_ ," Beth breathed to herself.

She knew they'd be coming back though. There was no way they could leave these people to their fate and she'd be _damned_ if she left without her crossbow. She finally had the new strings broken in. There was also the fact that these people needed to pay for what they were doing. At least the walker's were going on instinct, no longer 'human,' but Gareth...Gareth was pure evil. If she had any say, they would put an end to Terminus and their ploy.

If Beth had anything to do with it...Terminus would _burn_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Chapter 2!
> 
> I HAVE EPIC NEWS! Chandler Riggs (Carl) and Scott Wilson (Hershel) will be at the Texas Frightmare Weekend in Dallas TX (about 3 hours from where I live)! o_o I am totally going! I'm super excited! I think they're both phenomenal actors and even though it's not Mr. Reedus, I'm super stoked!
> 
> Leave me a review and give me your thoughts! Love hearing feedback from my readers!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
THANK YOU TO** Nicole137137 for taking the time to send me edits for this chapter! You're awesome!  
  
...  
  
Beth squinted. Her eyes were so tired. She fought against the double vision creeping in from overuse; forcing herself to stay focused in the dark environment. Everyone else was either asleep or resting their eyes. Daryl was still stabbing away at the floorboard, Rick keeping him company.  
  
Beth rubbed her eyes. Her head was beginning to throb either from the strain she was putting on her sight or the concussion making its presence known, that it wasn't gone and therefore couldn't allow her a moment of respite.  
  
"Mother _fucker,_ how much longer is this gonna' take," Daryl hissed through grit teeth.  
  
"You're almost through," Rick replied in a quiet tone, "You see anything Beth?"  
  
Beth shook her head, but then realized they might not be able to see her in the dark, "No."  
  
Daryl's stamina was waning. The rhythm of his movements had slowed, become inconsistent, and Beth knew that if he didn't get the last bit of wood cut away soon, someone was going to have to take over for him.  
  
"You alright?" Rick asked in her direction.  
  
Beth wasn't sure if he could see her or not. She assumed he could view her more easily than she could them, only being able to make out their outline in the dark, with glimpses of their faces from the streaming moonlight that filtered in through the cracks. Where she stood, at the boxcar's door, there was a decent amount of moonlight illuminating her.  
  
"Mm hmm," Beth half-heartedly hummed. When she realized Daryl had stopped carving away at the floor and was looking at her she amended her reply, "I'm fine."  
  
The hacking resumed and Beth fought with her restlessness. She knew it was impractical, no _impossible_ , to take Terminus on her own, but that didn't stop her mind from wondering. She had already played over a hundred different scenarios of how she would attempt to save the poor souls trapped in the rail cars they had come across earlier. Each of them ended with her becoming a martyr and dying or her becoming superhuman and leveling the place. Neither endings were realistic, but each gave her mind solace while she waited for Daryl to finish with the floorboard.  
  
Daryl fell back, landing unceremoniously in a heap, flat on his back. Beth jumped at the sudden movement then panicked when Daryl didn't move.  
  
"He's through," Rick answered Beth's unvoiced concerns.  
  
"Really?" Beth perked up, pushing off from where she had been leaning to peek out of the doorway.  
  
"Really," Daryl echoed wearily.  
  
Beth took one last scan through the gap of the door. Satisfied that no one was coming she rushed over to where Daryl lay on the wooden floor. Rick was rousing everyone from their sleep and Beth took the opportunity to marvel at the work put into getting the floorboard off. There were chips of corroded wood everywhere, dust that had long since filled the air when they began putting their escape plan in motion now started to settle back on the floor, and Beth looked to Abraham, Rick, Bob, and Daryl with a new sense of appreciation.  
  
"You did good," Beth reached down and ruffled Daryl's sweat drenched hair.  
  
"I ain't no pet," breathing heavily, Daryl swatted her hand away; his forearm hiding most of his face from where he covered his eyes.  
  
Beth smiled, knowing Daryl was embarrassed by the praise, "Think we'll run into trouble outside the fence?"  
  
"I'd imagine they got patrols goin'. Can't be more than ah' few," Daryl peeked at her from under his arm, "We'll be alright."  
  
"Guess we'll find out," Beth sighed.  
  
"Alright," Rick announced to everyone as they gathered around, "this is going to take everyone's help. We've got one board pliable. Once we manage to get it up, we can focus on the others."  
  
"Just tell us what we need to do," Glenn volunteered.  
  
"Tara's got a hurt ankle so she can take over lookout for Beth. Beth-"  
  
"I'm fine," she interrupted Rick.  
  
"Beth, you've got a concussion," Maggie broached.  
  
"I said I'm fine. I need to help…I am _going_ to help," Beth was resolute.  
  
Rick gave her a nod of acknowledgement, "Then it'll work like this. Michonne will get her sheath under the board and lift. Daryl, Glenn, an' myself will pry up the board. Abraham, Eugene, and Bob get on the backside and start helping us pull up as soon as we get it goin'. Maggie, Rosita, Beth, Carl, and Sasha; you guys stand side by side a few feet down the board to help keep it in place. Your weight should be enough to act as ah' counterweight. That way we won't end up having to pull up the whole board. With enough force and with how weak the wood is here at the end, we should be able to get at least three boards up. Once the first one's up, we'll have room to break the others away from the bolts without usin' the knife."  
  
The plan was sound. Beth knew this would work. It _had_ to work. Everyone else seemed to be in agreement as well.  
  
"Alright. Everybody ready?" Rick looked around.  
  
Tara, still having a slight limp, took her place at the door. Beth moved to stand between Sasha and Rosita. Michonne was already working to wedge her leather sheath in between the boards. Beth watched expectantly as Michonne got it into position. After a couple of pushes on the sheath, the leather itself bending under the force Michonne was exerting, Beth realized their first flaw.  
  
"I can't get enough leverage. The wood here at the edge is rotted, but the rest of it is still in decent condition," Michonne sighed in frustration.  
  
"Damn," Rick cursed, "Okay. Everyone step off. See if that allows you more give."  
  
Michonne tried again, but the board only lifted a few inches from the iron beam it had been bolted to. Daryl stepped forward, trying to get his hands under the board. Beth assessed her hands, looking between the opening and at the size of her fingers, before nudging Daryl to move out of her way.  
  
"My hands are smaller," she explained as she took the same position Daryl had just been in.  
  
Her petite, strong hands, thanks to her trusty crossbow, wiggled into the space that Michonne's sheath allowed on either side of the board. She squatted down and took a deep breath. Then, using her legs to lift, she pulled as if she were nocking her crossbow. She managed to lift the board enough that the sheath was no longer necessary.  
  
While she had pried the board up a small margin, she had exhausted all of her strength. She could hold her ground, but she wouldn't be able to lift it any higher. Her head was beginning to throb in full force from her exertion while her sides ached from the tension. Just as she felt her body starting to give out on her, she felt a strong, sturdy warmth envelope her.  
  
Daryl had reached around her, lacing his fingers in between hers, around the board. His chest flush against her back and cheek hovering inches from her own, she heard the board creak as they lifted it even higher. Rick and Bob soon found a place to grab as well.  
  
"Tryin'ah give yourself an aneurysm?" Daryl groaned in her ear as he struggled to lift the board.  
  
Beth felt a sort of… _strange_ sensation from the vibration of Daryl's voice against her back as his words filled her ear. His breath was warm against her cheek and the only feeling that kept her from getting lost in this new euphoria was the pain in her hands as Daryl's crushed hers into the wooden plank.  
  
"I got it started didn't I?" Beth huffed.  
  
"Stubborn ass," Daryl exhaled amusedly.  
  
"Between you and Maggie, I had no hope to be otherwise," Beth smiled despite her discomfort.  
Michonne stepped around Rick and squeezed under the bowing wood to brace herself against the wall. Glenn followed suit and found a handle at the end of the beam to help Michonne support the weight. The wood protested, creaking loudly, but it wouldn't splinter.  
  
"Abraham," Rick called out, "Kick the board where it's bowin' up."  
  
"You guys got a good hold?" Abraham asked before motioning to Maggie, Sasha, Rosita, and Carl to once again step off the board.  
  
"As good as we're gonna' get," Daryl answered through clenched teeth.  
  
"Alright. Here goes…" Abraham stated as he inspected the most appropriate place to kick.  
  
Beth tightened her grip, readying herself for the jarring force Abraham would inflict. When the blow finally came, Beth bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out. The wood around Beth's hands went from a white-gray to a rusted color. Her hands ached, a sharp pain emanating from her palms, but she refused to move until the board broke.  
  
She felt Daryl drop his forehead to her shoulder. She could see his arms shaking from exhaustion. The hour or so he spent chiseling away at the wood had sapped most of this upper body strength. Hardening her resolve, Beth focused on holding onto the board. As long as Daryl held on, so would she.  
  
By the fifth kick, Abraham successfully caused the board to splinter. The lack of resistance caused them to stumble in place. Everyone froze, listening intently for any signs that their ruckus had been heard by anyone nearby. When roughly five minutes had passed and no one had come to check on them, smiles covered everyone's faces. Daryl removed his hands from the detached wood, allowing Beth to do the same, and Bob took it from them to place in the corner of the rail car.  
  
"What tha'… _shit_ ," Daryl looked at the blood covering his fingers to Beth's hands, "Why didn't you say somethin'?"  
  
Beth couldn't open her hands. They were locked in the position they'd been in while she had held the board up. There was a sort of burn mark in her palm from where the floorboard had rubbed the skin off with each jarring kick Abraham had landed.  
  
"It's not that bad," Beth tried to open and close her hands a bit, scrunching her face to keep from voicing her pain, and looking to see if Rick or anyone else had burns.  
  
"It's 'cause I held yer' hands in place," Daryl stated quietly. He then pulled a red rag out of his back pocket. She watched him curiously while he bent down and scooped up the water bottle they had been sharing. He poured some water onto the rag and held it out to her.  
  
"To clean 'em up," he explained.  
  
"Thanks," she took the rag, glancing up to give him a shy grin. Daryl gave her a shrug and went back to help with the next board.  
  
Rick and Abraham began stamping their feet on the weakest part of the second board, forcing the wood to split from the bolts. Maggie and Sasha stepped in and the group repeated the same process to break the second board, creating a decent sized hole in the floor.  
  
"I can fit through," Michonne announced, "I'll go ahead and scout the fence line while you guys get the last board up."  
  
"You be careful," Rick leaned forward and spoke in a serious tone.  
  
"If you recall, I tend to work better alone," Michonne brushed off Rick's concern.  
  
"Michonne," Carl caught her attention before she jumped to the ground, "don't take too long."  
  
"I'll make you a bet," Michonne smirked, "I make it back in less than ten minutes; I get our last _Cruncho_ bar. If not, it's all yours. No sharing this time."  
  
"You better get goin' then. I'm already counting," Carl smiled in return.  
  
Beth wasn't exactly sure what the exchange meant, but she had taken notice as to how close Rick, Michonne, and Carl had become. They were an unorthodox trio, but Beth was happy they had each other. Family was a rare commodity nowadays.  
  
Michonne ducked down through the floor, silently landing on the ground, before disappearing from their sight. Rick and the rest began working on the last board, but all Beth could do was listen for signs that Michonne had run into trouble. She didn't have her sword and while Beth didn't doubt her abilities, Michonne against several men with guns didn't present the greatest odds.  
  
" _We all have jobs to do…_ "  
  
She had said those words to Maggie during the epidemic and then Maggie had repeated them to her in front of the bus when the prison was under attack. This was Michonne's job. Beth would have to trust that Michonne could handle herself.  
  
…  
  
"… _fifty-six…fifty-seven…fifty-eight…fifty-nine…sixty._ "  
  
Beth had counted to sixty at least fifteen times. Though she couldn't be sure whether she was counting too fast or too slow in her anxiety ridden state, she knew Michonne had been gone over ten minutes. They had managed to get the third board off, making sure Eugene fit through in case they needed to take off a fourth, and then Beth began counting.  
  
"She's been gone too long," Carl muttered from where he paced back and forth.  
  
"Tara, any sign that someone was alerted by the fence?" Sasha asked.  
  
"Don't think so. Can't see anyone. It's quiet," Tara shook her head, but didn't take her eyes off the space in the doorway.  
  
"We'll give her five more minutes. If she hasn't shown up by then, we'll send someone out to see if she ran into trouble," Rick looked to each member of their group.  
  
"If she's in trouble, five minutes could be too late," Carl rounded on Rick.  
  
"Carl, Michonne has been in tighter situations than this. She'll be fine," Rick sounded more like he was convincing himself than consoling his son.  
  
"Someone talkin' about me?" A voice came from under the boxcar.  
  
Beth heaved a sigh of relief. Michonne looked a little rumbled, some grass sticking to her back and in her hair, but she was otherwise unscathed. Rick helped her back into the car and Beth realized Michonne wasn't without a weapon.  
  
"Where'd ya' find that?" Rick inquired with a pleased smile.  
  
"I borrowed it from the guy patrolling the fence line. He's got a buddy a couple of yards down. That'll give us two extra guns on top of what you have buried," Michonne replied, examining the automatic weapon slung across her chest.  
  
"What happened to the guy you took the gun from?" Abraham asked what Beth had been thinking.  
  
"I tied him to a tree. As long as walkers don't get him, we should be able to get intel on where they took our stuff," Michonne answered pointedly.  
  
It was then that Beth realized Michonne's belt was missing. At least someone else found good use for the accessory.  
  
"So minus the other guy behind the fence, we're good?" Rosita ask, standing next to Abraham.  
  
"Yes," Michonne nodded, "We'll go in groups of two. We'll draw less attention that way and have someone to watch our backs. I'll go first, make sure it's still clear, and signal for the first group to run."  
  
"Alright. Everyone grab a partner. We're gettin' outta' here," Rick rested his hand on Carl's shoulder.  
  
Relief filled their confined space. As long as no one approached the boxcar in the next ten to fifteen minutes, they'd be golden. Beth glanced around as everyone migrated to their partner. Michonne had already jumped out of the car, not waiting around to see who paired off with whom.  
  
"Eugene is the most important person to mankind's survival. I've made it my life's mission to ensure he is safely delivered to Washington. So I'm gonna' have to ask that we go first. He has to escape or all hopes of findin' a cure for this damned apocalypse will be lost," Abraham announced.  
  
Beth wasn't sure what the deal with Eugene was, but she found the idea of there being a cure comical. She wanted to believe that someday, in the future, a cure would be found. However, scientists and biochemists would have needed to survive the breakout in order for that to be possible. So maybe Eugene _was_ some sort of scientist? He'd sounded smart when he spoke, very educated, and he had the whole awkward social interaction down perfectly.  
  
"Go on ahead," Glenn motioned with his hand.  
  
Glenn stood next to Maggie. Beth had already paired them together in her head, but the way Glenn was glancing over to Tara made her question whether they'd actually end up running together. Tara had a hurt ankle and Beth wasn't sure she'd be able to scale the fence without help.  
  
Eugene squeezed through the boards, Abraham doing the same, and it was only a moment before their clunky footsteps through the gravel announced their departure. Glenn then whispered something to Maggie, who looked at him thoughtfully, before nodding.  
  
Glenn approached Tara, who was still keeping watch, and Beth barely caught their quiet conversation, "You want me to go with you? Help you get over the fence?"  
  
"No way. We went through hell to make sure you found your wife…found Maggie. You two go together," Tara looked at Glenn as if he'd lost his mind.  
  
"I'll go with her," Rosita moved to stand beside Tara, "I'll make sure she gets over."  
  
"You sure?" Glenn glanced between the two girls.  
  
"Positive," Rosita nudged Tara, earning a huge smile from the girl they were both fussing over.  
  
Glenn nodded and went back to Maggie. Maggie rose on her toes and planted a quick kiss on Glenn's cheek. They exchanged a look, both smiling, and then clasped hands. Beth felt a twinge of happiness and sadness all at the same time.  
  
"Beth, you want me to go with you?" Maggie asked her across the opening in the floor.  
  
"I got'er," Daryl answered.  
  
Beth hadn't even heard him move to stand behind her. It wasn't until he spoke that she felt his presence radiating on her back.  
  
"Alright then. We'll go next," Sasha looked to Bob.  
  
"After you," Bob made a gesture with his arms for Sasha to exit first.  
  
Maggie and Glenn followed after, Glenn insisting they go before Tara and Rosita just in case Tara needed extra help getting over the fence. That left Rick, Carl, Daryl, and herself.  
  
"You two go on ahead," Daryl spoke to Rick, "We'll bring up the rear."  
  
"You guys be careful," Beth implored.  
  
"Same to you," Carl replied with equal sincerity, and then they ducked down into the hole.  
  
Beth felt Daryl place his hand on the small of her back, leading her to the opening. As quietly as possible she hopped down onto the gravel, sliding over so that Daryl could follow behind her. They could see Rick and Carl running a few feet ahead and Beth's stomach twisted into knots.  
  
"You run to that fence and don't stop for nothin'. I'll be right behind ya' the whole way," Daryl ordered.  
  
Beth nodded. She didn't trust her voice to reply. Rick and Carl were now scaling the fence and soon their figures disappeared completely; safe behind the cover of the woods.  
  
"I'll be right behind ya'," Daryl repeated.  
  
They waited a few seconds, listening in case anyone had seen Rick and Carl, and then Daryl told her to run. So she did. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She was tired, weak, sore, and scared. She felt an invisible monster chasing her, closing in on her, and it made her run that much harder.  
  
She barreled into the fence, not slowing down, and risked a glance beside her. Daryl had just reached the fence and the two of them climbed over. She ignored the pain in her palms as the metal dug into her tender skin. When she was close enough to the ground on the other side, she jumped, waiting for Daryl, before they took off further into the woods to meet up with everyone else.  
  
As soon as Maggie was within sight, Beth knew they had made it. They were all safe. They had escaped without incident and they were all _okay_.  
  
"We're all here then," Rick sighed with relief.  
  
Beth bent over to place her raw hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Her blond, messy hair, spilled around her, creating a sort of curtain. Feeling concealed behind her hair and in the cover of darkness, Beth let a few tears slip from her eyes. The overwhelming feeling from their liberation and immense joy of escaping unscathed was too much for Beth to push down.  
  
Wiping her eyes under the guise of wiping the sweat from her face, Beth righted herself. She could feel Daryl's eyes on her, but refused to look at him. If she did she was afraid he would see the emotions she was trying to hide. Instead she moved towards everyone huddled around Rick and readied herself for whatever they decided to do next.  
  
Beth noticed that Abraham now had a gun similar to Michonne's. Beth assumed that he and Michonne must have taken it upon themselves to relieve the second guard of his weapon while everyone else was fleeing the rail car.  
  
"So what's the plan?" Glenn quietly spoke.  
  
"They don't know we've escaped yet. When they do, they'll probably scour the woods. I don't know that they'll put much effort into trying t'find us, but we can't stay here just in case," Rick replied solemnly.  
  
"So we're just gonna' run? What about all those people?" Sasha's voice filled with disbelief.  
  
"We can't do anything while they've got their guard up," Rick quickly answered.  
  
"So what? We go back up the track a ways. Warn people off? Wait a few days?" Bob inquired.  
  
"That's exactly what we do. We wait until they think we've made a run for it. We'll find a decent spot to make camp, take the guy Michonne secured, and find out as much as we can from 'em. We'll come up with a plan and we'll get those people out," Rick declared.  
  
"Sounds good t'me," Daryl agreed.  
  
"I see no problems," Bob nodded, agreeing more for Sasha's sake than his own.  
  
"Then it's decided," Glenn stood, wrapping an arm around Maggie.  
  
"I'll dig up the guns I buried and we'll get on our way. Don't wanna' stay here too long," Rick dusted the dirt from his jeans and moved to the freshly covered dirt mound hiding their weapons.  
  
"I'll take Mr. Unconscious," Daryl stated as he walked to the tree Michonne had tied the stranger to.  
  
"I'll help," Glenn went with Daryl.  
  
Beth suddenly felt a wave of nausea. Her head throbbed horribly. The exertion after having only a little bread and a few sips of water did nothing to aid the effects of her concussion. She must have looked ill because Maggie grabbed her hand.  
  
"Beth…you alright?" Her sister's voice wavered.  
  
"Yeah," Beth took a deep breath, "Just a little dizzy."  
  
"We're all dehydrated. With some water and rest everyone should feel better," Bob said while assessing her.  
  
Beth nodded, squeezing Maggie's hand, and released their grasp.  
  
"Everyone ready?" Rick asked while tossing the bag of guns over his shoulder.  
  
Daryl and Glenn had unstrapped the man from the tree and each of them had an arm over their shoulder. She knew they couldn't risk waking the man, as he could have easily began screaming bloody murder and gave them all away, but Beth didn't like Daryl making himself so vulnerable to the man's grasp. Daryl had a firm hold of the man's wrist, but there were other parts of the body that could inflict damage.  
  
"We're ready," Glenn replied.  
  
"Alright," Rick turned his back to everyone, "let's go."  
  
…  
  
Beth followed closely beside Maggie, lost in her own thoughts, at the end of their troop. Daryl and Glenn were closer to the front, in between Rick and Michonne. Carl was talking quietly with Sasha and Bob. Tara followed awkwardly in the middle next to Rosita, Eugene, and Abraham.  
  
"You wanna' tell me what you're thinkin' about?" Maggie broke through her thoughts.  
  
Beth cast her eyes over their group. She wasn't really sure what she was thinking about specifically. She was working through the array of emotions she had felt the past hour or so. Thinking about how far she had come from her days at the prison. Thinking about Judith. How she hoped that whatever had happened to her, that it had been quick. She couldn't bear the thought of her sweet Jude suffering. She wanted to believe others had made it, but even if they had, she knew they'd probably never see them again.  
  
"Just thinkin'," Beth replied.  
  
Maggie stayed quiet for a while. Beth knew she had more to say, she could _feel_ Maggie working over how to word whatever her real concerns were. Maggie wasn't one to let things go unsaid and her question had been an ice breaker.  
  
"You've changed…so much. I'm finding it a lil' hard to recognize you," Maggie turned her head to give Beth an unsure smile.  
  
"How so?" Beth was genuinely curious.  
  
"It's hard t'say. You don't seem as…fragile," Maggie answered honestly.  
  
"Is that supposed to be a nice way of saying I was weak before?" Beth cut her eyes to Maggie in annoyance.  
  
"You've never been _weak_. I jus' mean that you're more confident in yourself. Like you've figured yourself out. Doesn't seem forced like when we were at the prison," Maggie mulled over her explanation, "It's like you've finally grown into your own. That make sense?"  
  
Beth smiled, "Yeah. I had to do some growing up when I was alone."  
  
Maggie glanced at her, "You've always been stubborn, opinionated, strong-willed-"  
  
"I got it Mags," Beth interrupted.  
  
Maggie smiled, laughing softly, "I just mean…you've always been strong Beth. Only a strong person would have lasted as long as we have."  
  
"Yeah," Beth agreed.  
  
"You're not a little girl anymore," Maggie finally articulated her thoughts, "I don't see the little sister I was separated from at tha' prison. I see a grown woman who can take care of herself."  
  
Beth didn't reply. Doing so would have tarnished the moment. To hear Maggie acknowledge that she no longer viewed Beth as someone who needed protecting, someone who couldn't contribute, meant more than Beth had envisioned. She'd always been treated like glass and it was thanks to Daryl that she'd been able to grow out of that stigma.  
  
"I owe Daryl more than I can ever repay," Maggie whispered softly.  
  
"Me too," Beth replied, staring at the set of angel wings in front of her.  
  
He must have felt her eyes on him because it was at that exact moment that Daryl chose to glance over his shoulder at her. She gave him a smile and his eyes travelled from hers, down to her lips, before turning his attention back to the front.  
  
"Things aren't ever going to be the same…are they?" Maggie's weary question made Beth look away from Daryl's leather vest.  
  
"No…no they're not," Beth shook her head.  
  
Beth herself wasn't sure if she was talking about the world in general or her immediate vicinity. All Beth knew, in that moment, was that she needed rest, water, and she wanted her crossbow back. She felt naked without it. The most pertinent issue on Beth's mind was those helpless people still trapped in Terminus. She felt guilty leaving like they were, but knew they wouldn't be able to help without having the element of surprise on their side.  
  
In a few days' time they would have the information they needed, a plan to follow, and they would bring down the sick community that was Terminus. Beth just needed a little time to recuperate and she would be ready to go.  
  
She furrowed her brows and said a silent prayer to the people trapped in the boxcars.  
  
" _Just hang on…we're coming."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed chapter 3! Leave me a review! I love getting feedback from my readers!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
THANK YOU TO** Nicole137137 for yet another amazing editing job! I apprecaite you letting me bounce ideas off you so much!! XOXO  
  
...  
  
A branch slashed across Beth’s cheek, but she didn’t have time to stop. The mass of groaning bodies chasing them didn’t tire. Their decomposing muscles felt no fatigue. Therefore, they had to keep running; keep moving.  
  
“Beth!” Maggie screamed as a walker reached out for her.  
  
Beth threw her arms out, her fingers sinking into the deteriorating flesh until she hit the sternum, keeping the walker’s teeth at bay. Another walker was coming up behind her. She could hear the shuffling of its feet. They had no weapons, not even a knife, and no sane person fought off walkers with their bare hands. However, Beth was desperate.  
  
Thinking quickly, knowing she wouldn’t be able to hold the walker off of her much longer in her weakened state or without being attacked from behind, she kicked the walker’s knee. Biting her lip when she didn’t get the result she desired, she kicked again, putting more force behind the motion. There was a sickening crack of bone and cartilage dislodging and the walker fell to its knees. At the same time, Maggie grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the reach of the approaching walker. Then they were running again.  
  
She and Maggie had been cut off from the group. They had been lagging behind, caught up in their own conversation, when they ran into the herd they were forced to go down a different path than everyone else. They had tried to stay parallel with where they had seen everyone else run, but with the chaos the walkers had brought they weren’t sure where they had been steered.  
  
“Where the hell did they all come from?” Maggie breathed, shoving a walker out of her path.  
  
“We had a pretty good shoot out the other day. Think they were attracted by it?” Beth wheezed, ducking under a tree limb.  
  
“Maybe,” Maggie responded tersely.  
  
They ran into an open area and stood back to back. Beth desperately searched for any sign of where the others had run. They had put a good distance between them and the center of the herd, now only having to deal with the stragglers, but without weapons the walkers were virtually invincible. Beth knew she could stomp their heads in, but that left the issue of getting them on the ground to do so. Maybe with Maggie’s help?  
  
“Beth! Maggie!” A voice drifted over the groans of the dead.  
  
“We’re here!” Beth yelled as both girls dashed in the direction of the voice.  
  
She spotted Carl using a fallen branch to smash a walker’s head. Maggie must have noticed as well because they were both looking to the ground for a sturdy limb to use as a makeshift bat. Finding one she deemed adequate, Beth bent down and grabbed it as she ran by. She glanced back over her shoulder to check on Maggie and Beth’s blood ran cold.  
  
Maggie had turned off course to grab a decent sized branch. In stopping she had given a nearby walker time to catch up to her. She was now on her back, tree branch held out in front of her with both hands, acting as a barrier between Maggie and the walker. The limb began cracking in the middle as the walker force itself closer to Maggie. It snarled and snapped at her. With no lips to cover the yellowing teeth, or much of any facial features worth recognizing, Maggie looked like she was going to be devoured by a monster.  
  
“ _No_ ,” Beth breathed and her feet were moving of their own accord.  
  
She dropped her shoulder and barreled into the once-human creature. Her ribs burned from the jarring, but she had been able to get Maggie out of immediate danger. Beth dropped to her knees, the pain making it impossible to stand. She wrapped one arm around her torso, clenching her eyes shut, hoping that the support of her arm would ease the fire under her skin.  
  
She tried to open her eyes and make sure Maggie was able to get up, but the only thing she could see was white, hot pain. A loud banging erupted next to her, followed by a squishing, wet sound and the groaning of the walker was silenced. The eerie stillness remained for a few more moments and then Beth could hear leaves rustling. Steady, even steps approached her.  
  
“Beth… _Bethy_ ” Maggie’s hesitant voice was enough to make Beth melt.  
  
“I’m…okay…” Beth managed to slur.  
  
“We gotta’ get up. Carl and Rick need our help,” Maggie’s tone was more urgent.  
  
Beth nodded, opening her eyes and letting the world spin around her. After a few moments, the earth stilled and she was able to see clearly. She pushed off of her knees, forcing herself to stand, and looked over to Rick and Carl. The two of them were fending off a few walkers while Daryl and Glenn, still holding the Terminus guard, watched their backs. Beth knew Daryl would drop the man if it meant saving Rick or Carl, but she also knew he was only keeping the man away from the walkers so they could help the captives they left behind.  
  
“Go,” Beth whispered, “I’m comin’.”  
  
Maggie didn’t wait to be told twice. Beth followed behind, catching sight of Sasha and Bob helping Rosita and Abraham protect Eugene. Michonne was a few yards past them.  
  
“We gotta’ run,” Rick yelled as he struck the only walker left close enough to cause harm.  
  
Beth groaned internally. She could barely walk at the moment, much less run. All she could focus on was talking one more step; keeping one foot in front of the other. Her ribs ached. She wasn’t sure if jarring them like she had when he rushed that walker had done more damage or aggravated the injuries she already had.  
  
Coming toward her she saw brown shoes, following them up to equally brown pants, and continuing until she met stark blue. She looked around him to see that Maggie had taken his place shouldering their semi-conscious hostage. The conflict with the walkers had brought the man out of his obliviousness.  
  
“What’re you doin’?” Beth was confused.  
  
“We gotta’ get a move on and you’re just gonna’ slow us down,” Daryl remarked, looping on arm around her waist and bringing her arm closest to him to wrap around his shoulder.  
  
Beth was hit with a sense of déjà vu, however, there were two stark differences. The first was the winter months that had separated them and the second being her ankle wasn’t her debilitating injury. Knowing that Daryl was more concerned with the situation they were in and not exactly angry with her, Beth let his snide remark slide.  
  
“What tha’ hell were you thinkin’? Gettin’ so far behind like that,” Daryl grumbled as he helped her catch up with the group.  
  
“ _What_?” Beth turned to glare at him.  
  
“You and Maggie. Both ah’ y’all back there gossipin’ instead of paying attention t’what’s goin’ on around you,” Daryl sneered.  
  
“ _He’s just lashing out. He’s pissed we don’t have weapons. He’s mad that yet another opportunity for sanctuary has blown up in our faces. He’s taking it out on you because he knows you’ll understand he’s just venting and won’t hold him accountable for any of the_ stupid _things he’s sayin’,_ ” Beth chanted to herself, droning out Daryl’s rant. It was, however, taking immeasurable strength not to blow up right back at him.  
  
“…you’re smarter’n that,” she caught the tail end of his tirade.  
  
Beth clenched her teeth. Clearly her prior assumption had been incorrect; Daryl was livid with her as well. He was saying these things to hurt her; a punishment of sorts. She wasn’t going to rise to his bait and say something she would later regret, no matter how much he pissed her off.  
  
Daryl quieted down, wearing a scowl, as they caught up with everyone. There were more walkers coming after them, deviating from the main herd, attracted by the commotion they had made fighting off the ones they had run into cutting through the woods. The walkers were slow and as long as the group kept moving, the corpses would lose their scent and chase the next thing that caught their attention.  
  
They kept the railroad tracks in sight, hoping to warn off anyone else looking for sanctuary, but they otherwise traveled in silence. Beth hadn’t spoken since she’d questioned Daryl, and he hadn’t so much as looked at her since, but the tension between them was suffocating. She wasn’t going to pretend that she hadn’t gotten caught up in her conversations with Maggie, expecting their walk to be a peaceful stroll through the woods, but he hadn’t been on top of his game either. Daryl was always the first to notice when things weren’t right and for some reason, today, that hadn’t happened.  
  
They had been walking for at least an hour, more or less, and the pain in her ribs had finally becoming an uncomfortable twinge. The longer she accepted Daryl’s help walking, the more asphyxiated she felt. She kept replaying the harsh things he had said to her in her head until she couldn’t handle being near him anymore. If she didn’t create space, and soon, she was going to end up blurting something out and causing a scene.  
  
She pulled her arm from his grasp over his shoulder, using her other hand to remove his grip around her hip, “I’m fine. I can walk on my on now. _Thanks_.”  
  
She hadn’t meant to sound as curt as her words had come out, but she decided he deserved a little of the fire roiling within her.  
  
“You sure ‘bout that?” His tone came out neutral, but to Beth he might as well have been calling her frail.  
  
“I said I’m fine,” Beth bit back.  
  
She didn’t stay close long enough for him to make another remark, she didn’t glance over her shoulder as she walked away, and instead she walked straight over to Maggie and pointedly made herself pretend that Daryl Dixon didn’t matter. He had called her out on breaking one of the rules he’d taught her, _always_ be aware of your surroundings, and as much as she was angry with him, she was most upset at herself.  
  
So Beth pushed thoughts of Daryl aside, needing time to clear her head and get herself back to thinking rationally. When she had cooled off she would go apologize and tell him he was right, but for the time being she needed to remove his constant presence from her mind.  
  
…  
  
It was nightfall. They had traveled most of the day, trying to find a decent place with ample coverage, close to the tracks, and not too far from Terminus. The stars twinkled above, barely visible through the trees, giving the only light available to illuminate the dark. They hadn’t come across any more walkers since the herd earlier. Beth assumed that any nearby walkers had been attracted to the sounds from Terminus and that they probably wouldn’t run into anymore unless they traveled farther out. Not that she was complaining, but the stillness of the woods bothered her almost more than knowing when walkers were nearby.  
  
Beth lay on her back, counting the stars, trying to will herself to sleep. Most everyone, save two people on guard duty, were trying to catch up on much needed rest. They had nothing to use to set up a perimeter, one small pocketknife and a few sticks to kill walkers, and the clothes on their backs. She wasn’t sure how much luck everyone else was having, but sleep just wasn’t going to come to her.  
  
She tried to blame her inability to relax on their situation, that she didn’t have her security blanket she had come to rely on; her crossbow, but it came down to that she was just being stubborn. She felt guilty about how she’d snapped at Daryl, even if he had been unnecessarily irritable with her, but she knew she was to blame. She couldn’t have stopped the walkers, but if she had been paying more attention she could have reacted quicker and kept her and Maggie from getting separated, however brief it had been.  
  
It was her stubborn pride getting in the way. She had never been a vain person; always doing what was right, but for whatever reason she didn’t want to seem weak in front of Daryl. Then again, her daddy had always told her that it takes a bigger person to admit they were wrong.  
Sighing heavily, sitting up from where she lay close to Maggie, who was blissfully asleep snuggled up to Glenn, Beth looked around their camp. Sasha and Bob were sitting back to back, keeping watch, and everyone else lay scattered on the ground. Rick, Carl and Michonne, although Michonne lay a greater distance away than Rick and Carl, were a few feet away from her.  
  
Abraham and Eugene lay sprawled out across from the fire, Tara and Rosita talking quietly close by, but she didn’t see Daryl anywhere. Beth got up quietly and made her way to Sasha. She gave a small wave to Tara, who had lifted her head to see if there was a disturbance, and crouched in front of Sasha.  
  
“You seen Daryl?” Beth whispered.  
  
“Yeah, he walked that way a few minutes ago. Guess he couldn't sleep either,” Sasha gave a sad smile, “Probably checkin’ to make sure nothings out there.”  
  
Beth nodded, not wanting to wake anyone lucky enough to have fallen asleep with their conversation, and tiptoed in the direction Sasha had indicated. She couldn’t see his tracks in the dark and knew how light Daryl could be on his feet. If he didn’t want her to find him, she wouldn’t.  
  
There was no campfire for Beth to gauge how far she had ventured from the group. She had counted fifty steps and decided that was far enough. She stood still, listening for anything that might give Daryl away, while also making sure nothing snuck up on her.  
  
There was complete silence.  
  
Beth breathed, taking in the fragrance of the woods, and realized she was more at peace standing here than she had been all day. She felt more in her element out here. It was almost laughable. All the months she had spent on her own, wishing for company, and she found the most solace in her solitude.  
  
There was a sound to her left and Beth’s reflexes took over. When she spotted a familiar figure emerging from the dark shadows of the trees she allowed herself to relax. He hadn’t said anything, but with the way he kept glancing up at her from under his shaggy bangs, Beth knew she wasn’t the only one who had something they wanted to say.  
  
“Hey,” she started quietly.  
  
“Hey,” he echoed.  
  
“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?” Beth eased into the conversation.  
  
“Nah. Too much on my mind,” Daryl replied.  
  
“Yeah…” Beth nodded. She knew they were dancing around the subject, but she wasn’t ready to shatter the small bit of peace she had just found.  
  
“Where’s yer’ weapon?” Daryl looked her over.  
  
“In Terminus,” Beth couldn’t help but remark.  
  
“Smartass,” Daryl smirked, “You know what I meant.”  
  
“If you’re referrin’ to the tree branch I had earlier, I dropped it before you decided I needed help walkin’,” Beth answered truthfully.  
  
“Damnit Beth. This ain’t no fuckin’ amusement park,” Daryl approached her.  
  
“I know that!” Beth’s voice rose an octave, “But you’re being a hypocrite!”  
  
“How so?” Daryl glared at her.  
  
“You don’t have one either!” Beth gestured at him with her hand.  
  
“Don’t gimme’ that bullshit. You know good and well that I can take care’ah myself,” Daryl snubbed her.  
  
“So can I!” Beth was growing frustrated.  
  
“I didn’t say ya’ couldn’t,” Daryl growled back.  
  
“But you’re implyin’ it,” Beth sighed.  
  
Daryl narrowed his eyes at her. Clearly he was still just as annoyed with her as she was him. Unless Beth calmed down, they weren’t going to resolve anything and she wasn’t going to hold her breath thinking Daryl would approach her first to work things out.  
  
“What’cha come out here for girl?” Daryl took a step back, creating space between them.  
  
“I came out to find you,” Beth crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
“Well ya’ did so why don’t you go on an’ scurry back to camp,” Daryl flicked his wrist a couple of times towards the general direction of their group.  
  
It was Beth’s turn to glare. Taking a deep breath, she decided to follow the advice her daddy had given her, “Look…I’m _sorry_ for not paying more attention earlier. It was stupid-”  
  
“Damn right it was!” Daryl interrupted her.  
  
Beth ignored him and continued, “-and I’ll be more careful from now on.”  
  
Daryl grunted a reply.  
  
“I dunno why you’re so pissy about it anyway. Everything turned out fine,” Beth huffed.  
  
“Pissy? You think I was _pissy_?” Daryl accentuated the word.  
  
“I think you’re pissy about a lotta’ things,” Beth didn’t back down.  
  
“I ain’t _pissy_ ‘bout nothin’,” Daryl retraced his steps, his chest bumping into Beth’s arms.  
  
“Then why’re you actin’ this way?” Beth uncrossed her arms, standing toe-to-toe with the angry Dixon.  
  
Daryl didn’t reply. He just stood there, staring down at her, and Beth furrowed her brows.  
  
"I'unno," he grunted, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
It was the same default evasion he had used when they were sitting at the dining table in the mortuary. Beth hadn't let him shut her out then and she wasn't going to let him do it in this instance either.  
  
"Don't "I'unno",” she pressed, copying his shrug, "Talk to me."  
  
Daryl dropped his head, his hands settled on his hips, and he took several deep breaths. Beth waited. He was working out how he wanted to word his answer so she would patiently wait until he knew what he wanted to say.  
  
“We coulda’ died,” Daryl said softly, “in Terminus.”  
  
“But we got out,” Beth’s eyes softened.  
  
“We lost all our shit,” Daryl looked off into the distance, eyes sharp, and jaw clenched.  
  
“And we’ll get it back,” Beth searched his profile.  
  
“You hurt yourself tryin’ t’help me,” Daryl finally looked back down at her.  
  
Beth was confused for a moment. When had she tried to help him? They hadn’t needed each other’s help until earlier today, but she had been with Maggie. The only time she’d gotten herself hurt trying to help him was when Joe’s men had been trying to kill Rick.  
  
Realization overtook her features. He felt guilty. Her injuries from being shoved into the vehicle had been healing and then earlier happened and any progress she had made crumbled the moment she shoved the walker off Maggie.  
  
“And I’d do it again without a second thought,” Beth replied sincerely.  
  
Daryl searched her eyes and then looked away, “Don’t do somethin’ like that again. Not for me.”  
Beth sighed, annoyed with his lack in sense of self-worth, “I’m sorry Daryl, but you don’t get to make those decisions. _I_ do.”  
  
He cut his eyes to her, but didn’t turn to fully stare at her. He was chewing on the inside of his cheek, fighting some internal battle that Beth couldn’t identify.  
  
“You’re worth fighting for Daryl,” Beth grabbed his wrists still propped on his waist and brought them forward. He didn’t fight her, but he refused to look at her. Unperturbed by this Beth continued, “I’d risk my life to save you just like I know you’d do the same for me. That’s what trust is.”  
  
“You trust me,” Daryl’s rough voice made the phrase sound like more of a statement than question.  
  
“With my life,” Beth smiled.  
  
“You shouldn’t,” Daryl met her gaze.  
  
“That’s also my decision,” Beth countered.  
  
“I couldn’t save Merle…couldn’t save your dad…I let you get taken off by some crazy bastard…I was concentratin’ too much on tha’ guy we’s carryin’ instead of around us. Let them walkers get the jump on us.I sure as hell don’t deserve your trust,” Daryl listed off each situation coldly.  
  
Daryl was trying to shoulder the blame of everything bad that happened as if he was personally responsible for them. Beth didn’t like it. None of those things were Daryl’s fault. If he continued blaming himself for every little thing that went wrong he was going to blame himself right into the ground.  
  
“Bullshit,” Beth bellowed, “That’s total bullshit and you know it!”  
  
“Ain’t bullshit. Name one thing I done right!” Daryl’s body went rigid as his temper rose once more.  
  
“I survived because of _you_ ,” Beth blurted out.  
  
Daryl’s eyes expressed confusion while his shoulders stayed taunt. She hadn’t meant to be so straightforward, but the words had already been spoken and it was the truth. If it hadn’t been for Daryl taking the time to teach her some basic tracking, setting simple traps, and how to use and maintain a crossbow, Beth highly doubted she would be having this conversation with Daryl.  
  
“Judith,” her breath hitched, “Judith survived as long as she did because you made sure she _always_ had formula. You were in the group that went into an infested veterinary college and brought back medicine that saved countless lives in the prison. Carol…whenever she needed you, you were there. Rick depends on you, _trusts_ you. My daddy believed in you.”  
  
Daryl’s gaze bore into her own. His lips were pressed into a firm line, but his expression was otherwise unreadable.  
  
“You’re only responsible for your own actions Daryl. You can’t control what other people do,” Beth finished.  
  
“I was jus’ doin’ what needed t’be done. I never asked for nobody to look t’me for answers,” Daryl said quietly, dropping his head to look to the side.  
  
“That may be true, but regardless whether you think so or not, people see what kind of person you are,” Beth replied with a smile, tightening her hold on his wrists.  
  
“And what kinda’ person’s that?” Daryl mocked.  
  
Beth smiled wider, not letting his sarcasm get to her, “A good one.”  
  
Daryl took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Beth could literally see the weight lifting from his shoulders. She trailed her fingers down his wrists, into his palms, and laced her fingers within his. His fingers curled around her much smaller hands and Beth knew they were okay. All was forgiven. Everything that had been bottled up and festering was out in the open.  
  
“How ya’ holdin’ up?” Beth asked, staring at his busted lip.  
  
“I’m alright. No worse for wear,” Daryl answered, “How’s your head?”  
  
“It’s better. Haven’t had a headache since we were runnin’ earlier. My ribs are a little sore though,” she didn’t bother trying to deny her pain. Daryl would notice the stiffness in her stride whether she wanted him to or not.  
  
“Rick’s plannin’ on us staying round here ah’ day or two. You be sure and rest while you can,” Daryl said sternly.  
  
Beth wiggled her fingers in his grasp, unable to resist the chance to tease him, “Yes sir, Mr. Dixon.”  
  
“Don’t start that shit again,” Daryl huffed at her, but Beth caught his smirk.  
  
Beth felt more at ease. She felt her muscles turning to jelly as the tension left her body. If she hadn’t been so stubborn and talked to Daryl earlier, like she had planned, before everyone settled down for the night then she might have actually gotten to sleep. Her dreams still plagued her; the sad smile of her father, trying to escape from a confined space, and infant screams of Judith.  
  
“I’m gonna’ talk to Rick tomorrow,” Beth suddenly announced.  
  
“’Bout what?” Daryl inquired.  
  
“Judith,” was her one word answer.  
  
She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his sternum. She let go of his hands to wrap her arms around his waist. Daryl may not have been one for physical contact, but Beth was. Every once in a while she just needed a hug. She needed human contact. Even if Daryl didn’t reciprocate it, she liked to think that sometimes he appreciated her giving hugs as much as she appreciated him letting her.  
  
“I just want to know if…” Beth trailed off.  
  
Warm hands wrapped around the back of her arms. It was the most Daryl ever did when she hugged him, but it was enough for Beth.  
  
“She whadn’t yours,” Daryl tried to reason.  
  
“She was though. I might not have given birth to her, but she was mine,” Beth felt her cheeks heating up, “Rick may not have gotten her out, but maybe…maybe he saw someone else take her? She was with Lizzie and Mika last I saw her. Maybe they got out with someone?”  
  
Daryl just nodded. She could read his thoughts, “ _Don’t get your hopes up_ ,” but she appreciated that he kept it to himself.  
  
She lifted her head and stared up at him, “I’m gonna’ go try and get some sleep. You comin’?”  
  
“Yeah. I’ll be back in a bit. Gonna’ stay here ah’ few more minutes,” Daryl murmured, letting go of her arms.  
  
“Alright. Goodnight Daryl,” Beth gave a small smile while turning to leave.  
  
She walked a few steps when she heard Daryl’s smooth voice call out to her, “Night Beth.”  
  
…  
  
She had managed to get a few hours of sleep. It was nothing like the forty-eight hours she wished she could have slept, but it was enough that she didn’t feel so bone tired as she had the day before. Maggie and Glenn had taken over for Sasha and Bob when she’d gotten back to camp. Maggie had given her a questioning look, but otherwise left Beth alone to sleep.  
  
After a brief meeting on how they should go about trying to get information out of their captive, Daryl and Michonne volunteered to act as interrogators, Beth sought out Rick. He was sitting on the ground, on the edge of camp closest to the railroad tracks, using his dulling pocketknife to sharpen the end of a few tree limbs.  
  
“Hey,” Beth smiled, squatting in front of him as he worked.  
  
“Well hey Beth,” he looked up to her, “everythin’ alright?”  
  
“Yeah. I was just hopin’ I could talk to you about somethin’,” Beth responded.  
  
“Course. What’s on yer’ mind?” Rick stood, dusting off the seat of his pants.  
  
Beth rose to stand beside him, “It’s about Judith.”  
  
Rick froze, then dropped his gaze to his feet and nodded a few times.  
  
“I was just hopin’…I mean…do you know what…” Beth was unsure of her words.  
Rick shook his head, “I found her car seat.”  
  
Beth stopped breathing.  
  
“It had blood all over it,” he mumbled.  
  
“Was she…” Beth whispered.  
  
“She whadn’t in it. Carl and I…we didn’t _see_ her anywhere. We just ran. We didn’t look back. Jus’…kept runnin’,” Rick’s voice wavered, “We couldn’t look for her. I tried, but I had to keep Carl safe…”  
  
“ _I’m so sorry_ ,” Beth’s voice broke, “I didn’t get on the bus. I went to look for the kids, look for Jude, but I couldn’t find them anywhere. Daryl found me and we just couldn’t look anymore.”  
  
“It’s not your fault Beth,” Rick looked up into the sky, “I failed her.”  
  
“We both did,” Beth accepted, blinking back tears.  
  
They stood there in silence; their misery keeping each other company. Beth wished for Judith to have had a fulfilling life, finding love, having kids, growing old, but she knew that the little girl had been spared so much misery. As much as Beth wanted those things, in their world now, they were just pretty thoughts and fairytales.  
  
There was a sound in the distance, two voices from what she could tell, and she immediately crouched down. Rick was motioning to everyone to get down and be quiet.  
  
“They’re talking so it can’t be walkers,” Beth whispered.  
  
“Whoever they are, they need to be told to steer clear of Terminus,” Rick added.  
  
Beth crept forward, earning a hissing rendition of her name from Maggie, but she ignored her. She used the base of a tree to shield her from sight, peeking around to see exactly how many people they were going to be dealing with.  
  
Beth could see a large black man, wearing a navy beanie. He was conversing with a short woman. She had short peppered hair, slim frame, and nodding to whatever the man had said.  
Beth couldn’t breathe. There on the woman’s hip was a tuft of ginger-brown hair, blue eyes, and four chubby appendages. Beth was moving before she could work out exactly what she was seeing. She hurdled through the trees, practically tripping over her feet to the bottom of the small incline that led to the tracks below.  
  
“Beth?” The woman gasped, staring wide-eyed when Beth finally reached the middle of the tracks.  
  
The voice was all Beth needed to hear to know she wasn’t hallucinating. She crashed into the woman’s expectant arms and laughed as the tears ran down her face.  
 _  
“Have some faith Bethy,”_ her father’s words filled her thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! I've decided that I'm going to start updating on Sunday's! Then it's as if we're waiting for the Walking Dead show to air! Lol. Plus it's easier for me to get writing done here and there during the week, Nicole137137 to edit over the weekend, and update on Sunday. It gives me a set deadline rather than just "I'll upload once a week." It's more than likely be Sunday evenings too.
> 
> This is probably my most favorite chapter to date! Was super excited writing this and got it typed in literally less than 24 hours! Let me know what you guys think and leave me some feedback!
> 
> To all my mom readers out there...HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Treat yourself to something nice and I hope this chapter brings you a small escape!! XOXO


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
A/N:** As always... **THANK YOU** Nicole137137 for your amazing editing!  
  
I have a favor to ask guys. Nicole137137 is aspiring to interview Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon). She has a twitter page @Quest4Interview and if you guys who have a twitter could follow her and show her support, I would be so grateful! She's an awesome person and I would love for her dream to come true!  
  
...  
  
Beth couldn't believe her eyes. She held her arms snuggly around the woman and child before pulling back to make sure she wasn't in fact still blissfully asleep and had conjured them up in a dream.  
  
" _Carol?_ " She breathed.  
  
A tugging on her blond hair pulled her gaze from Carol's tentative smile to the bundle on her hip, "Judith!"  
  
Beth scooped up the little one and hugged her tightly to her chest. Cradling Judith's head she held her out enough to look at her face. Judith's smile melted her heart. The complete trust in her crystal blue eyes, rosy cheeks from being out in the heat, and little spots of white coming through her gums; visible because of her enormous smile.  
  
"Hey sweet girl," Beth sniffled, laughing through tears.  
  
"Are you by yourself?" Tyreese asked gently from behind Carol.  
  
Before Tyreese could finish his sentence, Rick stumbled out of the tree line, tripping over his feet to get to Beth. Beth turned to face Rick, noticing Daryl and Carl breaking through the trees, and smiled so wide her cheeks ached.  
  
"Judith," Rick whispered, falling to his knees in front of Beth. He didn't reach out, didn't move to take the baby from Beth's arms. Rather, he stared in shock and disbelief at his small child whose hands were playing with Beth's long ponytail.  
  
Carl bounded up beside his father, tears staining his cheeks. He gave Beth a look and she immediately handed him his sister, careful to untangle her chubby fingers from her hair.  
  
"Hey Jude," Carl smiled, "I _missed_ you."  
  
"How?" Rick croaked.  
  
"It was Carol," Tyreese answered, "I had Mika, Lizzie, and Judith. We all got out together. I was trying to help some folks at the train tracks, I left the girls with a gun, and Carol…she just appeared out of thin air with Mika and Lizzie; Judith as happy as could be on her hip."  
Rick seemed to have finally gotten himself together. He ran a hand down his face, wiping any evidence of his shock away, and stood. He put a hand on Carl's shoulder and cupped his other around Judith's soft cheek.  
  
"Thank you," Rick's voice full of so much emotion that Beth felt her heart ache.  
He then took Judith from Carl and held her to his chest; much in the way that Beth had a moment ago, rocking her back and forth. His voice was barely above a whisper, but Beth was able to make out the words, "Thank you so much."  
  
Beth faced Tyreese and Carol, attempting to give Rick and Carl more privacy in their reunion,  
  
"Where are Lizzie and Mika?"  
  
Carol, who was looking past Beth to Daryl, lingering a few paces behind Rick and Carl, dropped her gaze to the ground. The tension rose and Beth _knew_. She didn't have to be told, she knew the girls were no longer among them, and that they too had been spared the pain and misery of this new world.  
  
"Was it walkers?" Beth reached out and took Carol's hand.  
  
Carol took a deep breath and looked up, "No."  
  
Beth nodded. She was relieved and disturbed all at the same time. The fact that their young lives didn't end at the hands of walkers was a blessing, however, if walkers didn't kill them that meant a person had. There was a chance that they could have had some sort of tragic accident, maybe ate something poisonous, but Carol's reaction said otherwise.  
  
"I didn't let them turn," Carol stated with finality.  
  
"I'm so _sorry_ ," was all Beth could reply with.  
  
Daryl cleared his throat behind them, "We should get back. The rest ah' everyone are prolly wonderin' what happened and we're pretty exposed out here."  
  
Beth gave Carol's hand a tight squeeze and released her grasp. Rick, still hugging Judith, and Carl were already walking back when Beth diverted her attention from Carol. She glanced at Daryl, the two having not spoken since the previous night, who nodded in her direction.  
Instead of following her, he took a few steps toward Carol. She gave a small smile when Carol wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood awkwardly. Leave it to Daryl to not even be able to reciprocate an 'I'm glad you're not dead' hug.  
  
"Are you guys headed to Terminus?" Tyreese asked while walking beside her.  
  
"Terminus?" Beth couldn't help but mockingly laugh at the idea, "The people in Terminus locked us up in a boxcar for two days."  
  
"You can't be serious," Tyreese's expression displayed his utter disappointment.  
  
"We went in hoping for sanctuary and found ourselves in the middle of a cannibalistic society," Beth's tone bitter.  
  
" _Cannibals?_ " He repeated in disbelief.  
  
"They have rail cars full of people," Beth confirmed, "This crazy room with cryptic writing and what looked like people's valuables. It was like a sacrificial chamber or something. As we were running, trying to get out, we passed this fenced in area. There were bones with fresh meat still clinging to them. The 'welcome' lady was serving meat on paper plates. What would you have thought?"  
  
Tyreese didn't bother replying. The evidence she presented spoke for itself. Even if they weren't cannibals, locking people up in a metal box was enough to keep anyone who valued their lives away from Terminus.  
  
Beth climbed the embankment with relative ease. Her ribs only projected a dull ache when she moved and her head had been clear since the night before. She smiled to herself, biting her lip to keep from giving Tyreese good news that would undermine the importance of everything she had just revealed in regards to Terminus.  
  
Daryl and Carol were close behind, having their own private conversation. Maggie and Sasha had both rushed to Rick and were fawning over Judith. A sharp intake of breath beside her made Beth giggle softly.  
  
"I didn't want to ruin the surprise, but we found Sasha in Terminus," Beth explained.  
  
As soon as the words left her mouth, the brother and sister were embracing in a hug that looked almost painful. Tyreese lifted Sasha off the ground and the two were spinning in a circle, laughing and crying at the same time.  
  
Then Beth felt it. It was subtle at first, and then grew each moment she stood there, watching everyone hugging and welcoming new and old into their group. Exchanges and introductions were given. The morale shot through the roof and Beth felt it; hope. With everything that had happened to her since losing her father, the fire had waned. It had always been there, but finding Judith, being reunited with Maggie and Glenn, surviving so that she could get back to Daryl all fanned the flames that had begun to die.  
  
That's when she knew that everything had changed. The strong urge to protect had always been within her, but in that moment, Beth knew she had changed. Being separated from Judith had made it evident to her how much she had really cared for the child on a maternal level. Being separated from Maggie and Glenn had shown her how important family truly was in their post-apocalyptic hell. Being separated from Daryl, it became clear to her that she could survive on her own. That she was just as strong as Maggie, Michonne, and Carol in her own way. She had changed and she would do anything for the ones who had changed her.  
  
…  
  
"I'll get some firewood," Maggie stated quietly, attempting to hand a drowsy Judith over to Beth.  
  
"You just got her," Beth stood and dusted her pants, "Keep her. I'll get plenty of time with her later."  
  
"You sure?" Maggie asked.  
  
"Positive," Beth nodded.  
  
"Thanks," Maggie smiled and cuddled with the sleepy baby in her arms.  
  
Beth quietly tiptoed around Maggie to grab one of the stakes Rick had carved with his pocketknife. The guns Michonne and Abraham acquired, along with their stash Rick had buried, were not to be fired for any reason. Michonne and Abraham had made good use of the stocks, bludgeoning walker's head in, but the rest of them were virtually defenseless. They had come across the herd so sudden that Rick hadn't had time to divide the rifles amongst them.  
Sifting through and finding one that fit her hand the best, Beth left the proximity of camp in search of fallen tree limbs. She could no longer see Maggie when she heard voices. She didn't recognize them immediately, as they spoke so quietly that Beth could barely hear them period, but as she crept closer she heard Rick and Carol talking.  
  
"Tyreese knows," Carol said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Good…that's good," Rick stood with his hands on his hips, staring down at the ground.  
  
There was a lull in their conversation and Beth turned to move away when Carol spoke again.  
  
"He knows why I did it. He knows that Karen and David wouldn't have made it by the time we got medicine. They would have turned. He understands. He knows I was only trying to protect everyone by keeping the illness from spreading," Carol continued in the same tone as before.  
  
"That'll make things easier then," Rick nodded, still staring at his feet.  
  
"He…he forgave me," Carol's voice wavered for the first time.  
  
Beth tried to process what she had just heard from Carol. She knew Karen and David had been murdered and burnt just outside of the prison, but they had never found out who had done it. To hear Carol admit to these horrific crimes was shocking. Then again, Beth wasn't sure she could consider what Carol had done as horrific.  
  
Karen and David hadn't deserved to be killed before their time, they hadn't deserved to be burned instead of given a proper burial, but the reasoning behind Carol's actions were noble. There was no way of knowing whether Karen and David would have survived until Daryl and the group had found the medicine in the veterinarian college, but at the rate many of the others had died _after_ Karen and David; Beth doubted they would have lasted long enough. Carol was trying to keep the sickness from spreading, from claiming more lives, and she had taken matters into her own hands.  
  
Beth didn't think she could have done what Carol had. Murder was wrong no matter what the justifications were, but in the same respect, Carol had done so with the group's best interest at heart. She had done something good in the worst way. Beth would never agree that murder was an option. She had taken two lives herself and now she had to live with the guilt, but if Tyreese could forgive Carol, then Beth wasn't going to judge.  
  
Carol did what needed to be done. She reminded Beth a lot of Daryl in that regard. She had flourished in the apocalypse; just like Daryl had. The difference between them was that Daryl confided in Rick, had confided in her father, and they worked out the best option with the choices they were given. Carol took matters in her own hands and worried about the consequences later.  
  
"You know why I had to send you away," Rick's demeanor now made sense to Beth; he felt guilty.  
  
"I do," Carol pressed her lips into a sad smile, "I don't have any hard feelings Rick. You did what you thought was best for the group, just like I did."  
  
"Don't make either of our choices right Carol," Rick finally looked up a Carol.  
  
"The lines between right and wrong blurred the moment the dead began walking the earth," Carol countered.  
  
"It don't make it any easier then," Rick sighed.  
  
"Life's never been easy," Carol agreed.  
  
There was another silence. Beth knew she needed to give them their privacy. Her father would be ashamed of her for eavesdropping, but she couldn't bring herself to move.  
  
"I'll never be able to repay you for keepin' my baby girl alive," Rick rubbed his chin with his palm.  
  
"You did everything you could to find Sophia. Think of us as even," Carol smiled, reaching out to grab Rick's bicep, "and don't feel guilty for sending me away. If you hadn't, I would have been at the prison when the Governor attacked. There would be a good chance that I wouldn't have found the girls and I wouldn't have been able to keep Judith safe."  
  
Rick's shoulders slumped and he looked haggard. Beth couldn't imagine the thoughts running through his head as he stood there, but she recognized the immense feeling of gratitude she felt towards Carol at hearing what could have been.  
  
"Come'on," Carol patted his arm a few times before nodding in the direction of camp, "let's go see what Daryl and Michonne have found out."  
  
Rick hummed in agreement and the two of them walked back to camp. Beth stayed in her crouched position for what felt like hours, collecting her thoughts. She saw Carol in a new light. She knew Carol had stopped being the weak, abused wife long ago. That part of her had died the moment Rick ended Sophia's undead life. This Carol, the 'Carol from the prison,' was the product of the apocalypse. Beth respected her, even if she didn't agree with all of her decisions.  
Standing, her legs aching from being locked for so long, Beth stretched her arms above her head. Intent on finding the firewood she had been in a quest for earlier, she froze when she heard shuffling. She thought maybe Rick or Carol had come back to check on her, but the sound was erratic, uneven.  
  
" _Walker_ ," she whispered to herself.  
  
She tightened her grip on the wooden picket in her hand and quietly approached the sound. If it was just one or two, she could handle them. Any more than that would be debatable upon the quantity. She used the trees for cover, hiding behind their trunks to keep out of sight, as she assessed how many walkers were headed for their camp.  
  
At first she only saw a few, stragglers from the herd that had been moving toward Terminus she guessed, and she had every intention of running back to camp, grabbing a few spare bodies and taking care of the lot. Then they began to amass from the trees. A few soon turned into a couple dozen and Beth knew she had to get back to camp and warn everyone. A branch snapping to her right ripped her attention away from the walkers she was spying on and had her poised to sink her stake into an approaching walkers head.  
  
"Shit Daryl," Beth hissed, "you can't _do_ that."  
  
"How many d'you see," Daryl whispered, jutting his chin toward the walkers behind them.  
  
"Was only a few a first, then they started comin' out of the woodwork. I counted nearly thirty," Beth answered, getting control of her breathing.  
  
"Let's get back. We gotta' move," Daryl replied.  
  
Beth nodded and hurriedly slunk through the trees behind him, "You have any luck with the termite?"  
  
"Termite?" Daryl glanced back and quirked a brow at her, "Yeah. We got some stuff outta' him."  
  
Beth caught a glimpse of Daryl's bloody knuckles. It was like the situation with Randall all over again. She understood the necessity of beating the information out of a person who refused to talk, but that didn't mean she'd ever like it. At the moment though, her feelings didn't matter, they had to get back to camp quickly. They couldn't invade Terminus if they all joined the legion of the undead.  
  
They made the trip back to camp as stealthily as possible, "We got walkers comin' our way. We gotta' move," Daryl announced immediately.  
  
Everyone began moving on auto-pilot. Everyone made sure they had a weapon in hand and the lack of surprise or fear saddened Beth. This was their life now. Run when there were too many walkers to take on, fight when it was manageable, and keep on the move.  
  
"How many?" Abraham asked from across the camp.  
  
"I counted nearly thirty before Daryl found me," Beth answered.  
  
She moved to Maggie, still holding Judith, and took the baby from her, "I've got Judith, you go get a weapon."  
  
Maggie nodded, rushing over to grab a sharpened piece of wood.  
  
"I've got a makeshift carrier we used for her," Tyreese gestured to the backpack in his hand.  
  
"Thanks," Beth slipped the backpack in front of her, not feeling comfortable with having her on her back. Tyreese helped her adjust the straps and Beth slid Judith inside.  
  
"Where do we go?" Glenn yelled. He and Maggie were helping Tara support her weight. Her ankle was better, but any exertion would risk damaging the healing muscles.  
  
"Up the tracks, away from Terminus," Rick hollered back.  
  
"What about him?" Rosita gestured at their hostage leaning, bleeding and broken, against the base of a tree trunk.  
  
"We can't leave him," Sasha reasoned.  
  
"Let'em loose. Let him take his chances on his own," Daryl spoke up, "Make it quick. We gotta' go."  
  
Sasha quickly unfastened the belt wrapped around the man's wrist. He took off into the woods the moment his hands were free enough to move. Beth wished him luck, and even though the man was put in danger by being dragged away from Terminus with them, they needed the information to free the prisoners locked within the 'sanctuary.'  
  
They were on the run by the time the first groans of the walkers could be heard.  
  
…  
  
The area looked familiar. Beth took in the sight of the old blue Blazer that they had sought refuge in just a few days ago. It was the closest safe haven they knew of. The only other option was the tunnel Glenn and Maggie spoke of, but no one seemed too excited about hiding in a collapsed tunnel full of walkers. If the herd came their way, they'd be trapped with walkers on either side.  
  
It was much farther than they wanted to walk, but with a small hoard on their coattails, they needed a place that would keep whoever kept Judith hidden and out of reach. Beth hadn't paid much mind before, but looking at the driver's side, rear door of the vehicle, she could see a decent sized indention where she had unwillingly distorted her body.  
  
Approaching the Blazer, large splatters of blood covered the asphalt. Beth wasn't sure if anyone paid attention to such things anymore, or if it was because she knew who the blood had belonged to and why it repainted the black surface, but there was so much more blood than she remembered.  
  
The place where they had piled the corpses was now just a pile of bones, picked clean by walkers and scavenging animals alike. It was sad. Even though these men were the detestable sort of human beings that would've been locked away _before_ , a person still deserved to be laid to rest.  
  
"We'll camp here for tonight, come up with ah' plan, and head out at first light. We can't afford to waste any more time with all the walkers in the area," Rick affirmed.  
  
Beth's back muscles ached. Granted she thought she kept herself in decent physical condition, it was pretty well impossible not to nowadays, but the muscles she used supporting a forward-facing backpack were different than the ones she used while wielding her crossbow.  
Pulling Judith out of the backpack, Beth let the bag fall to the ground gracelessly. Her ribs throbbed a bit at the change in pressure, but quickly faded when she became accustomed to no longer wearing the backpack. Propping Judith on her hip, Beth walked to stand beside Maggie and the rest of the group.  
  
"First thing we gotta' sort out is who stays here with Judith," Rick cut to the chase.  
  
Hearing her name, Judith smiled, slapping her plump hands against Beth's cheeks. Beth bounced her a couple of times, rubbing her nose against Judith's in classic 'Eskimo kiss' fashion, trying to keep her occupied while the group discussed what to do. She had already come to terms with taking over as Judith's surrogate mom. It was her main form of contribution in the prison and even though she had changed, she didn't expect everyone's view of her to be any different.  
  
"I won't be able to do much good with my ankle fucked up the way it is. I can stay in the car with her. It'd be the safest place for both of us," Tara offered.  
  
Beth's grip tightened around Judith. Glenn trusting Tara was one thing, but trusting Tara with Judith? Beth wasn't going for that, "I'll stay with her too. I can help out if something goes wrong."  
Rick must have had the same thoughts as Beth because he visibly relaxed at her offer, "I'd appreciate it if you did."  
  
"Beth ain't stayin'," Daryl announced.  
  
"I'm not?" "She's not?" Maggie and Beth said at the same time.  
  
"She's good with a crossbow. I seen her. I'm gonna' need her help takin' out the snipers on the roof. We go in with guns'ah blazin', all we're gonna' get is shot," Daryl explained.  
  
"You got 'ah point," Rick agreed.  
  
"I'll stay," Carol offered, "I'm an old woman. I need my rest. All this traveling has these bones worn out."  
  
Carol may have been joking; she was far from an 'old woman,' but her statement left no room for argument. Beth knew Carol would keep Judith safe, she'd done so the past few months, and her offer allowed the group piece of mind.  
  
"Eugene needs to stay behind as well. He's a shit shot and we can't risk his life," Abraham stated.  
  
"One isolated incident does not suggest that my accuracy is below average," Eugene defended.  
  
" _Below_ average? You shot our freakin' truck Eugene," Rosita huffed, "It was a M925, _five-ton_ ,Army troop-transporter. Don't sit there and try to act like you can shoot. You wouldn't be able to hit the broad side of a barn."  
  
"That's enough Rosita," Abraham reprimanded.  
  
"I have already acknowledged my ignorance in regards to rapid firing weapons. I agree to stay behind and keep the ladies company while we guard the child," Eugene professed.  
  
"Jesus…," Rosita sighed, "You're gonna' make me stay with him aren't you?"  
  
"Yes ma'am. I need someone here that I know can handle this," Abraham said while removing the automatic rifle he'd slung over his chest.  
  
"Fine…" Rosita rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well if that's all settled, we just have the matter of how to go about getting into the armory and equipping ourselves before we take on Terminus," Rick furrowed his brows, squinting from the glaring sun.  
  
"How many guns we got?" Daryl shifted his weight.  
  
"I got my Python, couple'ah rifles, but not enough for everyone," Rick unzipped the bag carrying the guns.  
  
They'd come close to having to use them when they ran into the herd, but in doing so, they would have sacrificed their chances of getting back into Terminus and ultimately leaving all those innocent people to die. Beth was glad Rick had been the one to make the call because she wasn't sure she would have had the self-discipline not to panic and start blasting walker's head off.  
  
"I won't need a rifle once I get my katana," Michonne interjected, "Problem is getting to that part of the plan. None of this can happen unless the intel we got from that asshole is accurate."  
  
"I know," Rick sighed, "We can't all go in at once. We'll attract too much attention."  
  
"What if we assign everyone a specific objective?" Bob suggested.  
  
"That's a good idea," Abraham agreed, "Divide and conquer."  
  
"Alright. This is what we'll do," Rick crossed his arms over his chest, thinking carefully before he spoke, "Glenn, Daryl, Tyreese, Abraham, and I will scout the fence line. I'm sure they've upped security with all the walkers and us makin' our escape. We'll have to first deal with the walkers, assuming they haven't already. If there's too many we'll have to consider going 'round to another part of the fence."  
  
"We came in the front entrance. That gate is completely open; there's no cover. Our best option, if the way you guys snuck in isn't going to work, is to check the other two sides," Glenn added.  
  
"Yeah, I walked the fence line ah'ways when we first got there," Daryl commented, "There's a few places we'd be able to get some coverage."  
  
"Good. We get the fence line sorted out; we'll sneak in just like we did when we snuck out, in pairs. Abraham, you've had the most weapons training. You'll take Michonne's gun. Provide cover in case things go sideways before everyone's able to get in."  
  
"I can do that," Abraham nodded.  
  
"We'll find a spot to hide out. I have enough guns for myself, Glenn, Maggie, and Sasha. Tyreese you still got your hammer?"  
  
"Yeah. I still got it," Tyreese gestured to his backpack.  
  
"I have a gun," Carol offered the small pistol to Rick.  
  
"You keep it. You might need it," Rick pushed the gun back to Carol gently.  
  
Judith tugged on Beth's necklace, pulling her attention away from their discussion. Taking the silver charm away, Beth slid a few bracelets off her wrist and gave them to the spoiled bundle to keep her occupied.  
  
"Alright then," Rick continued, "Michonne and Daryl know the layout best accordin' to what our friend told us. Beth will go with the pair of you and get the weapons and bring them back to us. Then Daryl 'n Beth need to find a way t'get on the roof and take out the snipers. You're gonna' have to shoot for the head. We can't afford them turnin' on us. We're gonna' have enough trouble on our hands once they figure out they're under attack."  
  
"We'll handle it," Daryl answered, glancing at Beth and giving her a nod.  
  
"We take out their snipers and we can handle the rest. People are going to be armed. We gotta' be prepared for anyone we come across, but we should be fine so long as the whole community can't get ahold of a weapon. Once Beth and Daryl have us a way cleared to the rail cars we'll start letting people out. The more people we can get out and on our side, the less of a chance the people of Terminus have," Rick finished.  
  
"What about Gareth?" the venom in Carl's voice was unsettling.  
  
"Carl…I think it's best if you stay with your sister," Rick's tone taking on a paternal note.  
  
"No way. You know I'm a good shot. You're going to need me," Carl argued.  
  
Rick was quiet for a long moment. Beth could see the inner turmoil Rick was facing. Carl, by the standards of the world _before_ was still a child, however the fall of societal norms and ways of their new world placed Carl in a different category. He was an excellent shot, small and agile, and quick on his feet. He was the type of person you wanted watching your back. The father side of Rick and the post-apocalyptic side often were at odds with each other.  
  
"Alright, but you stay by me at _all_ times," Rick relented, "As soon as we get the people out of the boxcars, we go after Gareth. We take out the ringleader and we can get everyone else to fall in line. If they don't…"  
  
Rick didn't need to finish his sentence for Beth to understand what he was getting at. If they didn't join Rick's side there wouldn't be any other option for them.  
  
"Everyone understand the plan?" Rick inquired, "Then let's try to get some rest. We can take turns catching some sleep in the car. We got a big day tomorrow."  
  
Everyone dispersed and Beth was left with a heavy feeling. Glancing around, watching as everyone went in their own directions, she realized that tomorrow their group could be dwindled down. If things went bad they could all be killed. Beth stared down into the big, blue eyes of a smiling child and wondered why life had to be so twisted.  
  
…  
  
The sun had long since set, but Beth didn't pay any mind. She was too busy working out all the possible things that could go wrong in their impending excursion. She was whole-heartedly for saving those innocent people, but she was so scared of what they could lose in the battle.  
  
"Where ya' at?" A gruff voice asked as he sat beside her.  
  
Beth was sitting across the fire from Eugene and Abraham; the two having a quiet conversation. Bob, Maggie, Glenn, and Michonne were getting some sleep. Tyreese and Sasha leaned against the Blazer acting as guard, and Rick was seated next to Carl playing with Judith. Last she had seen; Daryl and Carol had been against the front of the Blazer talking.  
  
"Nowhere," Beth lied smoothly.  
  
There was a companionable silence and Beth sighed.  
  
"You worried 'bout tomorrow?" Daryl asked.  
  
"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't?" Beth smiled and turned to him.  
  
"Hell no," Daryl smirked.  
  
"Are you?" Beth turned the question around.  
  
"Lotta' things could go wrong," Daryl stated what she had been thinking.  
  
"Yeah," Beth sighed again.  
  
Another silence stretched between them.  
  
"You catch up with Carol?" Beth shifted where she sat to stretch her back.  
  
"Yeah," Daryl didn't elaborate.  
  
"That's good," Beth hummed.  
  
By the third lull in conversation Beth could feel something was off with Daryl. He was wound up as much as what Beth would consider 'normal,' but there was something else. He had something on his mind. She watched as he chewed on his bottom lip, the way he kept glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, and when he reached up to rub the back of his neck, Beth had had enough.  
  
"What is it?" Beth squinted her eyes at him.  
  
"What's what?" Daryl feigned confusion.  
  
"Don't give me that. What are you not tellin' me?" Beth propped her chin on her palm, her knee supporting her elbow.  
  
"That concussion make yer' brain quit workin'?" Daryl glared at her.  
  
"Not gonna' work," Beth shook her head, swaying her palm from side to side.  
  
Daryl took a deep breath and suddenly Beth felt nervous.  
  
"Earlier, when I said you needed to come with us," Daryl's voice trailed off.  
  
"I believe it was more 'Beth ain't stayin'," Beth corrected.  
  
"I know what I said," Daryl grumbled.  
  
"What about it?" Beth shrugged.  
  
Daryl chewed on his thumb nail, not immediately answering. Beth was losing her patience. It wasn't like Daryl to tiptoe around a subject. Reaching out with her left hand she grabbed his hand, her thumb inadvertently grazing his bottom lip. The look Daryl gave her made her yank her hand back.  
  
"Sorry," she mumbled.  
  
"You got more to offer 'n just keepin' lil' asskicker. S'all I was tryin' t'say," Daryl murmured, his eyes locking with hers.  
  
"Oh," Beth managed to reply.  
  
For some reason she was having a hard time breathing. Maybe it was her anxiety? The smoke from their campfire? She knew it _definitely_ didn't have anything to do with the intensity behind Daryl's eyes.  
  
Daryl reached over and pulled her hand back into the light of the fire. Having given Judith several of her bracelets earlier, the skin she tried to subtly keep covered was more exposed. Daryl brushed his thumb over the raised skin that ran the width of her wrist. Beth watched his thumb with morbid fascination.  
  
If anyone else was paying attention to them, Beth was oblivious. She was completely enraptured in Daryl voluntarily making a sort of intimate contact with her. It was innocent enough that most people wouldn't pay much mind to such an action, but coming from Daryl, the act spoke volumes.  
  
"It's a reminder," Beth finally managed to speak.  
  
"That you tried to cop out?" Daryl's words harsh as he whispered.  
  
"Not to lose hope," Beth amended, "and that I was selfish. As long as there are people here who need me, I'll keep fighting."  
  
Daryl looked up from her wrist, his thumb still tracing idle circles along her skin. There was something in the look he gave her that made Beth feel she had said something that resonated with him. She had been on the receiving end of many a glare from Daryl. She had gotten used to how intimidating he could be, but this look…this meant something completely different. She had the same overwhelming feeling she'd had when they were first trapped in the boxcar. Even though Daryl was keeping his distance, the feeling was there.  
  
Then, as if he'd remembered there were people around, he let go of her hand and faced the fire. Confused Beth continued staring at him, not sure why he had suddenly went so cold.  
  
"You should get some sleep. We gotta' long trip back tomorrow morning," he wouldn't look at her.  
  
"Uh. Yeah? Sure," Beth mumbled, utterly perplexed, "I'll see ya' in the morning."  
  
Daryl grunted, but otherwise brushed her off. Shaking her head, Beth walked over to Rick and kissed Judith on the top of her head, bidding them all a goodnight. She risked one more glance at Daryl only to find the spot he'd been seated was vacant.  
  
Furrowing her brows, she walked to the passenger side of the Blazer and roused Bob from his slumber. Rick and Carl would soon take Maggie and Glenn's place and Beth knew she needed to get some sleep in case Judith refused to cooperate and let her family members get any rest.  
Whatever was going on with Daryl she would figure out after Terminus, if they all lived that long. He had something he wasn't telling her. Then again, so did she. She needed to talk to him about Carol. She wouldn't tell Carol's business, but she thought maybe Carol could use someone who might understand what she'd done and why she'd done it. Beth would simply drop hints so that Daryl would be able to connect enough dots to speak with Carol.  
  
As her eyes slid shut, the last image in her head was the look in Daryl's eyes while he had caressed the reminder of self-worth on her wrist. Stranger still was the fact that she had _let_ him touch the scar she kept hidden and out of reach from everyone around her. Something had definitely changed between them and Beth wasn't sure if this excited her or if she was terrified.  
She dreamt of crystal blue eyes, laughter, and life _before_ everything had become so complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to boothandbones4ever at fanficion dot net for the wonderful "termite" reference I utilized in this chapter. It was too awesome not to use! XOXO
> 
> Also, before you guys freak out! I promise all will be explained in the next chapter of why Beth didn't push Daryl at the end! : ) Leave me some love and let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
A/N:** As always... **THANK YOU** Nicole137137 for editing this chapter and letting me bounce off ideas with you! You do such an amazing job!  
  
...  
  
Beth awoke to the sun's rays on her face. Her neck was stiff from being angled against the passenger side seat when she had turned to get more comfortable in her sleep. She sat up, adjusted her ponytail that had been rearranged per the seat she slept in, and saw Abraham in the driver's seat snoozing. She felt a bit awkward, waking up near a sleeping man that she's only mixed a few words with, but such was life now.  
  
She glanced in the back to find Rick and Carl asleep, lying on the floor of the cargo area at the back of the Blazer. Judith was nowhere to be seen. Beth felt a twinge of panic creep up her throat. She leaned forward and looked through the dusty windshield, hoping the baby was in the arms of someone around the fire.  
  
Carol, Michonne, Rosita, and Tara were all huddled on one side, Michonne less 'huddled' than the other three, talking. Bob, Sasha, Maggie, and Glenn sat across from them talking much in the same fashion. Eugene was standing off to the side doing whatever it was Eugene did, but Judith was nowhere in sight. She didn't see Daryl either.  
  
Turning in her chair with the intention of alerting Rick, her attention was caught by movement out of the rear window on her side of the vehicle. Daryl, holding Judith, was pacing back and forth. He had a bottle in hand and was feeding Judith. Beth wondered if Daryl had even taken time to sleep.  
  
She quietly opened the door; its hinges creaking in protest, and pushed it closed as gently as possible. Abraham stirred, but the others remained oblivious to the world. She couldn't see Rick and Carl, but when how little any of them had slept, she doubted she had woken them knowing how little any of them had slept. She doubted at this point that even the dead could wake them. That thought did not sit well with her.  
  
Daryl had his back to her, pacing away from the vehicle, as she began approaching them. He must have heard the gravel crunching under her feet because he glanced over his shoulder at her.  
  
"Hey," she managed an awkward wave.  
  
Daryl just gave her a nod and continued pacing.  
  
Beth furrowed her brows. Daryl wasn't the most talkative person that Beth had come across, but he usually at least returned her greetings. Shoving her hands in her pockets, Beth stood still, watching Daryl come to the end of his pace and turn around to start over again in her direction.  
  
She knew that if Daryl had Judith it meant that she either got fussy and Carol hadn't been able to get her happy or that he was giving everyone a break. Daryl was one of the few, next to herself and Carol, that could usually get Judith to stop crying. From time to time he had come to get Judith 'just because,' but he'd generally been too busy with responsibilities around the prison to spend time with his lil' asskicker. Beth had always secretly thought that Daryl tried to stay away because he didn't want Judith getting attached to him. He'd go a few days without seeing her, but the moment he stepped into the room, Judith's eyes filled with stars and Beth could see Daryl's heart melt all over again. It was impossible for anyone not to love Judith. She was too adorable and embodied everything that _could be_ in their world.  
  
"You givin' Carol a break?" Beth asked softly.  
  
"Nah, lil' asskicker got fussy. Told 'em not to wake ya'," Daryl replied.  
  
Beth looked up to Daryl and smile, however, he quickly averted his gaze to Judith.  
  
The moment Judith heard Beth's voice it was over. Her bottle was forgotten and she was sitting up in Daryl's arms trying to reach for her. Beth couldn't help but shake her head and smile. Judith may have had a lot of 'moms' in their little band of survivors, but Beth had always been her favorite. She had a special bond with Judith. They had needed each other. Judith needed someone to lovingly care for her like a mother would and Beth had needed to be _needed._ Tofeel like she was contributing to the group. Judith's life had given her a purpose when Beth felt all hope slipping through her fingers. She carried on because of Maggie and her father, but Judith was the one who brought her out of the darkness.  
  
"Come'ere sweet girl," Beth cooed, reaching around Daryl to take the baby from his arms.  
Judith immediately went for Beth's necklace, grabbing the charm and trying to put it in her mouth.  
  
"Where are the bracelets I gave you? Hmm?" Beth asked Judith as if she expected her to reply.  
  
Daryl walked off, leaving Beth confused; she asked Judith "Do you know what's wrong with Mr. Dixon?"  
  
Daryl reappeared from around the front of the vehicle a moment later, bracelets in hand, and gave them to Judith. Beth's necklace was soon forgotten and the bracelets occupied Judith's mouth.  
  
"Gonna' have t'watch her. Bracelets aren't exactly teething rings, but it's the best we can do. Just gotta' make sure she doesn't break one and end up choking on the beads," Beth kept her gaze on the child in her arms.  
  
"Yeah," Daryl breathed and then he walked past them towards the woods.  
  
Beth raised an eyebrow at Daryl's retreating form, "Seriously Jude, what is _wrong_ with him?"  
Beth stared into the woods a bit longer, sighed, and went to join those awake around the small fire.  
  
"G'mornin' Beth," Carol greeted her.  
  
"Not for all of us," Beth grumbled under her breath.  
  
" _Someone_ woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Maggie teased.  
  
"Not me. I slept just fine," Beth defended.  
  
"Who's the grump?" Rosita chimed in.  
  
Beth sometimes found it odd how quickly people adjusted to being immersed into a new group. Then again, the people who had survived thus far had to adapt quickly, or they didn't live to join new groups.  
  
"Daryl," Beth sighed his name, "he was fine last night."  
  
Beth thought about finishing her statement. He _had_ been fine last night, right until he sent her to bed like a child.  
  
"He's just worried about everyone and things going smooth in Terminus," Carol patted the ground next to her for Beth to sit down.  
  
Beth collapsed on the ground, careful not to jostle Judith, "I guess."  
  
Carol resumed her conversation with Tara and Beth was left to stew on her thoughts. She and Daryl had had a heart-to-heart last night. He had defended her in regards to being sidelined from going to Terminus. He had enough respect for her that he had explained himself later that night. He knew that she put Judith first; that she would stay with the baby before she'd stand up for herself and say she would be of more use helping them in Terminus. He had made her feel like an equal. Then, when he had held her wrist, he had made her feel something else entirely.  
  
Tilting her head to the side in thought, Beth had an epiphany. She had been too caught up in the action of Daryl initiating contact to realize she had _let_ him push her away at the end. She had _let_ him get away with shutting down the moment she got too close.  
  
Beth cut her eyes to the woods. That explained his vanishing act last night, his distance this morning, and the fact that he had practically run away from her into walker invested woods. She hadn't even done anything. It was him. It was _all_ him. He had reached for her last night, he had made all the confessions, and he was the one that said she needed to come with them to Terminus.  
  
Beth was _livid_.  
  
If that redneck thought he was going to get away with pushing her out just because he started something he didn't know how to handle, then he had severely underestimated her. She didn't even know what he had _started_. She just knew it was the principal of the matter. They were supposed to be at a point where they could talk to one another. He had let her in more last night than ever before. Beth had felt the change.  
  
She wasn't just someone he could throw out with the trash whenever he felt like it and she was going to make _damn_ sure he knew it.  
  
…  
  
"So everyone knows the plan?" Rick questioned.  
  
It was mid-afternoon. Daryl had managed to catch a few squirrels and Carol took it upon herself to clean and cook them. Beth had offered to help, but Carol tutted her and said she needed to conserve all her energy for staying alive when they reached Terminus.  
  
Now that everyone was fed and rested, Rick had suggested they get a move on. It was going to take several hours to walk back to the fence from which they had escaped. Their plan depended on them having the element of surprise and they would need the cover of darkness to aide them.  
  
"We'll cut through the woods, like we did last time, at the fallen sign. Be on the lookout for walkers. I doubt they'd let them bunch up at the fences, but in case the walkers didn't get that far, we're gonna' have to figure out a way around them," Rick finished.  
  
Beth knew the plan. She had gone over every possible situation and outcome at least a dozen times, trying to prepare for what could happen once they were within the fences of Terminus. She knew that if they were caught, they likely wouldn't be locked up in another rail car. Their fate would be far worse than that.  
  
"I want to come with you guys," Bob spoke up.  
  
Rick looked to Daryl. Beth wasn't sure what the look was supposed to mean, but Daryl didn't look pleased.  
  
"Look. I'm off the bottle. I haven't had a drink in months. Ask Sasha...Maggie...anybody! I can help. I _need_ to help. I've got medical training. I stay out of the way and make sure everyone gets out of there alive," Bob argued his case.  
  
"Don't make promises _you_ can't keep," Daryl practically growled.  
  
"Daryl?" Rick questioned.  
  
Daryl stared at Bob for a long while. His eyes literally picked the man apart. He then flicked his gaze to Beth and she raised a brow at him.  
  
"You fuck up one time...I'll kill you myself," Daryl announced and then turned his back to Bob.  
  
Unsure of what had just transpired; Beth approached Carol, waiting patiently for Rick and Carl to finish giving their love to Judith. When Rick stepped aside, making Beth visible, Judith wailed happily and began leaning out of Carol's arms to reach for Beth. Stepping forward and taking the baby, she couldn't help but smile at how her necklace automatically went to the child's mouth.  
  
"Alright Jude, you know you can't chew on my necklace," Beth giggled, prying the charm from Judith's slobbery grip.  
  
Judith squirmed in her arms, pulling at Beth's shirt and walking up the material that covered her stomach in order to get a higher vantage point in Beth's hold. Beth hefted her up, crossing her arms under Judith's bottom and letting her sit on her forearms, and cradled her to her chest.  
  
"You have turned into such a handful!" Beth couldn't help but plant a series of kisses on Judith's rosy cheeks, "You be a good girl for Carol, ya' hear?"  
  
Judith cooed and squealed in response.  
  
"This isn't goodbye," Carol said firmly, "This is just 'we'll see you later.'"  
  
Beth nodded, blinking quickly to keep the moisture out of her eyes, "I'll see you soon sweet girl."  
  
Beth gave a lingering kiss to Judith's forehead and handed her back to Carol. She patted down Judith's growing hair and smiled at the cheesy grin the baby gave her. Stroking her cheek, Beth let her hand drop. She then took a deep breath and lifted the tattered string that held her heart charm around her neck.  
  
"In case…" Beth took another steadying breath, "If we're not back in two days' time. You _leave_. I know Rick's already talked to you, but I want you to promise me that you'll take Judith and you guys will get away."  
  
Carol held Beth's gaze, tightening her lips into a thin line, "I promise."  
  
"I want you to keep this," Beth handed over the necklace, "Just in case…"  
  
"This isn't _goodbye,_ " Carol reiterated, voice wavering.  
  
"It's just in case. I want her to have something of mine," Beth smiled at Judith's searching gaze,  
  
"If I make it out and you guys are gone. I'll find you. I won't stop looking until I find you."  
  
Carol nodded, her eyes turning red with unshed tears.  
  
"I _promise_ ," Beth finished speaking directly to Judith.  
  
She gave Judith one last kiss on the cheek and reached around to hug both her and Carol tightly. After a few seconds, Beth released them, gave them one last look over, and turned to join Rick and the rest of the insurgents. Daryl was standing a few steps behind her, witnessing her private exchange. Beth spared him a glare and walked passed him. She could feel Daryl's eyes follow her, but she didn't look back. If she looked back and saw Judith reaching for her, her resolve would shatter.  
  
"You look after her," she heard Carol say to Daryl.  
  
"She's grown. She can look after herself," Beth heard Daryl reply.  
  
Beth would have taken his statement as a compliment any other time, but with how he had been acting since last night, it came across as more derogatory than praise.  
  
"I know. She's toughened up, but she's still…" Beth was too far away to hear the rest of Carol's reply.  
  
Abraham had finished giving orders to Rosita on protocol should he not return and joined shortly after.  
  
"I appreciate you helping us. I know you believe in your mission and I want you to know you have my gratitude," Rick extended his hand to Abraham.  
  
"No way could I leave innocent civilians in a warzone. It would go against everything I stand for as a proud member of the United States Army and as a man," Abraham accepted Rick's hand and gave it a firm shake.  
  
The exchange had a sense of finality to it that Beth didn't like. It wasn't that she expected their expedition to Terminus to be a walk in the park, but she certainly wasn't expecting anyone to die. However, from Beth's experience, she knew that the living were far more dangerous than the dead.  
  
"You worried?" Carl asked, standing beside her.  
  
"There's a lot that can go wrong," Beth quoted Daryl's reply from the night before.  
  
"Yeah, but we gotta' help those people," Carl stated objectively.  
  
"We shouldn't have to help anyone escape," Beth seethed, causing Carl to scrutinize her, "They shouldn't be locked up to begin with."  
  
"I know," Carl sighed, "We'll get them out and we'll take care of whoever gets in our way."  
  
Beth hated how numb they had become to the thought of taking someone's life. The thought still made her stomach churn, but it was no longer an action she considered damning. It was wrong, but it was necessary.  
  
"Yeah," Beth breathed.  
  
When everyone had said their 'We'll see you later's,' they began their journey back to the fences that had meant to keep them prisoners. Beth walked alongside Maggie, contemplating everything that had brought them to this point. She was uncertain about what the outcome of their trip to Terminus would be, but she knew that she would never be able to come back from ignoring the compulsion to help all of those innocent people. Her drive to help was the only sentiment that kept her feeling human.  
  
…  
  
Beth hadn't spoken much; answering Maggie with monosyllabic answers. They had been walking for several hours. She was starting to feel the ache in her legs, but they were too close to stop. They hadn't come across any walkers yet, which left Beth feeling eerily calm and anxious at the same time.  
  
Sasha, Tyreese, Bob, and Glenn were walking a few paces ahead, Maggie was sticking by her side, Michonne and Carl were walking next to them having their own conversation, and Rick, Abraham, and Daryl were bringing up the rear.  
  
"What's going on?" Maggie finally asked.  
  
Beth knew she had wanted to ask for hours, but had amazingly held off for over half the trip.  
  
"Nothin'. Why?" Beth quipped.  
  
"Well for one, your tone, and for two, this isn't about Terminus. I know that look. Who pissed you of?" Maggie smiled.  
  
Beth sighed. They had more important things to worry about than her feelings.  
  
"You do realize we all could die today, right?" Maggie poked her finger into Beth's side.  
Beth flinched away, partly because of the residual tenderness and partly because she was ticklish, "I know Mags."  
  
"Daddy told me, when everyone was sick and he went into the quarantine room even though I begged him not to, he said that in everything we do now, we risk our lives. That we don't have a choice anymore. The only thing we can choose is what we're risking it for," Maggie's expression told Beth she was re-living the moment with their father, "You don't wanna' have any regrets Bethy."  
  
Beth didn't reply. She knew Maggie was right. Their lives could end at any moment and she didn't want the remorse of leaving things on such rocky ground with Daryl. If she survived, she wasn't sure she could live with the guilt, and the last thing she wanted for Daryl was to be a bad memory.  
  
She risked a glance back and the look she gave him must have translated her concern because he furrowed his brows and said something to Rick. He then ventured a bit off the path of the group, still within sight, but far enough away to provide privacy.  
  
"Go talk to him Beth," Maggie urged.  
  
"Huh?" Beth blinked a few times and stared at her sister.  
  
"Daryl, go patch up whatever he did to piss you off," Maggie answered with a knowing smile.  
Beth nodded, "I think I'll do that."  
  
Maggie caught up to Glenn, grabbing his hand upon reaching his side, and Beth steered herself in Daryl's direction. As she drifted, she attempted to get her thoughts in order. She knew Daryl wouldn't go for any of the 'beating around the bush,' but she wasn't exactly sure why things had gotten so tense with him. She had a general idea, but Daryl didn't talk about feelings, she had to read his body language and understand what his mannerism suggested.  
  
He was on edge; the muscles in his arms taut and stake in hand, ready to be used should they run into trouble. She understood his tension as she herself didn't feel right without her crossbow. She fell into step beside him, the crushed stone of the track ballast giving way to lush, green grass while they walked.  
  
"So…." Beth started awkwardly.  
  
Daryl made a sort of indignant sound in the back of his throat.  
  
"You gonna' tell me what your problem has been today?" Beth's tone even.  
  
"Ain't nothin' wrong with me," Daryl bristled.  
  
"That so?" Beth queried sardonically.  
  
Daryl 'hmphed' and made no further reply.  
  
This wasn't going the way she wanted. She decided to try for a different approach. She stopped walking, letting Rick and Carl pass her by, giving her a weary glance. If Daryl realized she had stopped immediately, he didn't act like it, continuing on for several more strides.  
  
Beth shifted her weight, crossed her arms, and got comfortable glaring at Daryl's back. Beth counted three more steps before Daryl stopped, put both his hands on his hips, and looked up as if he were cursing the sky itself. He then turned and stalked toward Beth. She didn't allow herself to feel intimidated. Instead she defiantly clenched her jaw and squinted her eyes.  
  
"What tha' hell is wrong with you?" Daryl sneered.  
  
"Ain't nothin' wrong with me," Beth quoted him.  
  
" _What?_ "Daryl's face was turning red.  
  
"You heard me," Beth replied stubbornly.  
  
They stared at each other in silence. She didn't back down. If she did, Daryl wouldn't open up to her and she _needed_ to clear things up before they got into Terminus. It wasn't just about regrets; she knew if they were at odds with each other, they wouldn't be in sync and that could very well end up getting them or someone else killed.  
  
"You've lost yer' damn mind," Daryl shook his head at her.  
  
"What're we doing Daryl?" Beth genuinely wasn't sure, "What happened last night?"  
  
Daryl reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, staring down at the ground.  
  
"I mean," Beth continued, "everything was fine last night. Then you just shut down on me, avoided me this morning, and you've been acting like a jerk. So what's going on?"  
  
He remained mute. He glanced over his shoulder, back at their group slowly getting farther away from them, and then placed his gaze somewhere over Beth's shoulder.  
  
"Daryl…" Beth uncrossed her arms and tugged at the front panels of his vest, " _talk to me_."  
  
He closed his eyes. Beth scrunched her brows in confusion. When Daryl finally opened his eyes, the strength of his stare was so intense she thought it might burn her.  
  
"What happened? Why're you tryin' to shut me out?" Beth spoke barely above a whisper.  
  
"I'm not good with people," Daryl confessed.  
  
"That's nothin' I didn't already know," Beth gave a small smile.  
  
"This ain't the time to be talkin' about all this. We're marching into fuckin' enemy territory," Daryl barked.  
  
"This is _exactly_ the time to talk about this _because_ of what we're about to do. I've got enough regrets Daryl," she finished softly.  
  
Daryl's eyes danced between hers. The same feeling she had the night before began creeping up from her stomach. When his hands wrapped around her bent elbows, she could have sworn at the electricity she felt surge through her.  
  
"I don't know what'cha want me to say," Daryl admitted.  
  
"The truth," Beth replied, "I can't help if you shut me out."  
  
"I don't need help," Daryl scoffed.  
  
"Maybe not right now, but I'm your friend Daryl. You can depend on me," Beth was speaking from her heart.  
  
"Friend, huh?" Daryl smirked.  
  
Beth frowned, "You don't consider me ah' friend?"  
  
"Never really had nobody but Merle. Friends weren't somethin' you had in my lifestyle," Daryl explained.  
  
"Well you got me. I know Rick thinks of you as a comrade. There's a first time for everything," Beth theorized.  
  
"Guess so," Daryl murmured.  
  
Beth could feel this nervous energy swirling through her. With each second that Daryl kept his hold on her, the energy amplified. She could hear her own heartbeat ringing in her ears and she felt like the only reason she was still standing was due to his strong hands that had crept up to hold the back of her arms and her iron grip on his vest. She rolled her lips across each other trying to keep her nerves from getting the best of her. They way Daryl was looking down at her wasn't doing anything to help either.  
  
She watched the muscles in his jaw jump several times as he clenched his teeth. Then he took a deep breath and let her go, "We'd better catch up."  
  
Beth nodded dumbly and let go of Daryl's vest.  
  
"We good?" Daryl asked, still staring down at her.  
  
"Yeah," Beth breathed, "Just don't push me away, okay?"  
  
She followed Daryl, walking at a brisk pace to cover the distance the group had made from them.  
  
"I'll work on it," Daryl cut his eyes to her.  
  
"You'd better," Beth teased.  
  
Daryl smirked. It was the closest thing Beth had seen to a smile since before they entered Terminus and the way it made his eyes light up made Beth feel like her heart was going to burst. It didn't matter if Daryl worked on keeping her closer than arm's length or not, she wasn't going anywhere.  
  
…  
  
"They've been gone too long," Maggie paced.  
  
"Give them time," Michonne tried to reason only to come off sounding harsh due to her own concern.  
  
"Come'on guys," Carl spoke up from where he sat on the ground next to Michonne, "they'll be fine. They might have had to go around further because of walkers."  
  
"He's right," Sasha agreed, clenching and unclenching her hands around her arms.  
  
Beth's eyes hadn't strayed from where Daryl's form had disappeared into the tree line. Daryl would bring them back on the exact same trail they had entered on. She knew how he worked. If they came back on a different path, then they had run into trouble. Regardless, she kept her sight fixed on the small gap the men had walked into.  
  
"How long has it been?" Maggie asked as she continued to pace.  
  
"I've counted to sixty, nine times now," Beth uttered.  
  
"Not even ten minutes then," Carl stated the obvious, "it probably takes five minutes to reach the fence from where we're at."  
  
"And if they had to travel further down, it could be a good twenty minutes before they come back," Sasha added.  
  
“Everyone just relax,” Bob encouraged, “If they had run into trouble, we would have heard something by now.”  
  
Maggie continued to pace and Beth continued to count. No one else spoke.  
  
Daryl had vehemently denied letting Bob scout ahead with the guys. Beth had been able to piece things together. Apparently Bob had a drinking problem, but she wasn’t sure what had transpired to have put him on Daryl’s bad side. One thing was very clear; Daryl did _not_ trust Bob.  
  
By the time Beth had counted to sixty her twenty-fifth time, panic had begun gnawing at her. She knew Daryl and everyone else could handle themselves. She'd seen them take care of dozens of walkers. They'd survived when the prison fell. That still didn't mean things couldn't go wrong.  
  
A rustle in the trees had Beth on her feet ready to take care of whatever or whoever appeared.  
She could hear voices. Then, one by one, the guys exited the woods.  
  
Maggie rushed to Glenn, hugging him fiercely, "I was so worried."  
  
"We took a little longer than expected," Glenn replied returning the hug.  
  
Sasha gave Tyreese a strong punch in the arm and the two began their sibling antics.  
  
Michonne and Carl approached Rick and Abraham. Rick explained the best course he thought would get them in undetected and Michonne added her input from what she had just heard. Beth, however, was concerned with none of this. She would follow Daryl, trust him like she had so many time before, and he would get them where they needed to go.  
  
The only feeling she could focus on was the immense relief in the fact that everyone had come back alive and completely unharmed. She met Daryl's eyes as he was standing off to the side and he jerked his head for her to come to him and Beth complied. He was standing at the edge of the trail into the woods watching her as she approached him, and she realized she was doing the same.  
  
"Any walkers?" Beth asked.  
  
"Bunch of 'em at the fence. They shouldn't be too hard to get around though. Most of 'em already been dealt with," Daryl replied.  
Beth nodded.  
  
"We're gonna' wait till it gets ah' little darker. Wait out here so long as no walkers show up. Then me and you got to get our weapons back. We don't take out those sniper's on the roof, we're all gonna' die," Daryl elaborated.  
  
"I'm aware," Beth confirmed.  
  
"Don't get no hero complex. I know how you get when it comes t'people. We're not gonna' be able to save them all. And we gotta' take the lives of others just to give the ones locked up a chance," Daryl emphasized.  
  
"If you're askin' if I can handle this, I'll be fine," Beth didn't like Daryl trying to sugarcoat the issue.  
  
"I know you can," Daryl agreed, "Just wanna' make sure you know what you're gettin' into."  
  
"I know what I need to do," Beth strengthened her resolve.  
  
"You stick with me tha' whole time," Daryl took a step towards her.  
  
"I will. I got your back," Beth smiled.  
  
Daryl seemed mollified by her response, "Let's go hear what Rick and them have come up with."  
  
Beth felt his hand rest against the small of her back, guiding her toward the huddle, and she realized that this was the second time in two days that he had touched her in such a gentle manner. Once she had begun walking, the pressure disappeared, but the tingling sensation lingered.  
  
She wasn't sure what was going on with Daryl. She had no idea why he was behaving the way he was. He hadn't always acted like a decent guy, but his nobility had always been there, trapped beneath layers of distrust and pain. He'd just needed a little push in order to realize it himself.  
  
Beth brushed away her thoughts. She needed to focus and letting her thoughts of Daryl's bizarre behavior was not her number one priority in their present environment. They were about to risk their lives attempting to free strangers and end a corrupt society. Thoughts of Daryl had to wait. She would, hopefully, have the opportunity to mull over them later.  
  
All she needed to focus on right now was making sure Terminus paid for their actions. Beth smirked; realizing her angry wish in the rail car would come true. She was involved in their raid against the 'sanctuary.'  
  
She would make sure that Terminus _burned_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else feel like Daryl strategically avoided talking about his feelings and snuck out of that conversation without really telling Beth what was going on with him? Hmm...leave me a review and let me know what you guys think! XOXO


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
A/N:** Thank you Nicole137137 for sending me edits for this chapter even though you were still exhausted from your camping trip!!  
  
She reads the comments so if you guys want to wish her a happy birthday (it's technically June 4th) I'd be super grateful! Without her to bounce ideas off of and help when my southern twang comes through in my writing, I'd be a mess! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE!  
 **  
ALSO:** This chapter contains graphic scenes of violence. I have a disclaimer in the story info, but this chapter has some especially graphic scenes.  
  
…  
  
Beth's heart was racing as she ran down the dark ally. She was in between Michonne and Daryl and the three of them were moving through the deserted back streets of Terminus. Abraham had stayed behind the fence, providing cover, and in pairs they made their way back to the boxcar that had held them captive. Once there, Abraham joined them and they had snuck around the rail car, pressing themselves against the nearest building for cover.  
With everyone in position, Michonne, Daryl, and herself had split off in search of the armory.  
  
A nervous energy filled Beth. She felt secure with Michonne leading them and knowing Daryl had her back, but she worried that Michonne would notice something one step too late and reveal them to the guard on patrol or that someone would sneak up on Daryl while they focused on making sure they didn't run into anyone ahead of them. Being in the middle, she was the only who could split her attention and focus on both directions. Her head was on a swivel; her eyes watching in front but her ears attentive to everything behind them.  
  
Michonne's arm shot up, fist clenched, signaling them to stop. Michonne slowly stepped backwards, forcing Beth to do the same. She risked a glance back to check on Daryl. He too was taking cautious steps in the direction they had come from. Their eyes met for a brief moment and Beth wasn't comforted by the look on Daryl's face. He was just as much on edge as she was.  
  
A crunching noise sounded in front of them; a rhythmic pattern that Beth identified as a person walking. Her grip on her wooden stake tightened. They were virtually unarmed. It was just one person, as far as Beth could tell, but if he managed to yell, to alert guards nearby, it was all over.  
  
Michonne signaled to Beth. Nodding, Beth took the lead as Michonne stepped to the other side of the alley. The man would now see Beth first, but Michonne would be able to sneak closer to the end of the building before she would become visible.  
  
Beth felt Daryl move closer behind her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body surrounding her due to their proximity, but he had yet to physically touch her. It didn't ease Beth as it normally would. If anything, it made her more anxious. She knew that at the first sign of trouble, Daryl would throw himself into the fray to protect her and Michonne. For caring so much about other's lives, he placed little value in his own. However, Beth had just as much of a protective streak in her as Daryl and she'd die trying to keep him safe without a second thought.  
  
The shuffling of feet was deafening and Beth could see a beam of light coming from within the walkway. Beth glanced at Michonne who visibly stiffened upon noticing the flashlight. Slinking around in the dark was one thing, but armed guards with a means of being able to spot them in the cover of darkness was not something they had anticipated.  
  
Beth looked to Daryl and jerked her head toward the opposite wall behind Michonne. Daryl nodded, agreeing that they couldn't stay in place, and they both carefully made their way to Michonne. Each step Beth took made her wince. She hadn't mastered the art of stealth quite like Michonne and Daryl and every time her foot came in contact with the ground, she felt she may as well have been shouting her location for the approaching individual.  
  
When course, hardened clay that constructed the brick building scraped her bare arms, she felt a small bit of relief. They waited in silence. A light blinded Beth's eyes for a brief moment before she heard a struggle. Michonne had used her stake as a sort of gag, forcing it between the man's teeth so he couldn't make coherent words, but he was still making noise and clawing at her arms in an attempt to get free. Beth reacted on instinct. The moment the dots in her vision subsided, she balled her hand in a fist and struck the man in the throat. His attempts to yell for help were replaced by gasping and his hands held his neck protectively.  
  
Daryl wasted no time in grabbing the man's forgotten weapon up off the ground and using it to give him a solid blow to the head. The man slumped in Michonne's arms and she slowly lowered him to the ground, careful not to make any more commotion than necessary.  
Michonne then propped the man against the wall and began checking his pockets. Beth squatted down and began helping her look. Rifling through the man's pocket made Beth feel uncomfortable. She kept her eyes on his face, expecting him to wake up and attack her. Her heart raced, thrumming through her chest and echoing in her ears. The jingling of keys startled her and signaled the end of their search.  
  
"Think they'll open the armory?" Beth asked Michonne who investigated the keys in her hand.  
  
"Only one way to find out," Michonne answered.  
  
"We're close," Daryl added, "Should be 'round the next building."  
  
"If our intel is valid," Michonne agreed.  
  
Beth stood and walked to the alleyway the man had come down. Leaning around the corner, careful to make sure no one else was around; she took a step into the opening and crouched down to pick up the abandoned flashlight. Standing, she clicked the light a few times to make sure the drop hadn't ruined the device.  
  
"Let's go," Michonne took the lead once more.  
Beth followed closely behind and Daryl, still holding the gun, fell into step behind her. Michonne peered around the edge of the building and signaled that it was clear. They quietly crept around the building, the moonlight illuminating their path, and found the warehouse door that their captive had indicated was the armory.  
  
"Blue door, busted window, fifth building toward the back," Daryl listed off, "and it's locked up. This is it."  
  
Beth examined the door curiously. A thick padlock rested on the latch screwed onto the door. Michonne and Daryl had explained that their main obstacle going in wouldn't be finding the armory, but getting into the armory once it was located. Their hostage had informed them that the armory wasn't generally guarded, as there was no need when the community was so close-knit and anyone new to the society was locked up in a boxcar. They did keep it locked up for precautionary reasons. They had a decent stock of guns and ammunition that they had procured from their prisoners and they didn't want to be robbed blind of their investments by someone lucky enough to sneak in and out without being seen.  
  
Michonne began trying the keys. One by one, each key was eliminated as the correct key to open the padlock. When the last key failed, Michonne threw the keys down on the ground and glared at the door.  
  
"What now?" Daryl grumbled glancing between Michonne and the door.  
  
"I'm thinking," Michonne answered tersely.  
  
Beth glanced around the area, taking stock of what their options were. There was another door around the other side of the building, but going further into Terminus meant more rooftops with better vantage points that they could be seen from and more guards that they could run into. Where they stood now, they had Terminus in front of them and a few sheds behind them. For the most part, the area was open, far too open to have the entire group lay in wait, but there weren't buildings tall enough to constitute placing a sniper on watch.  
  
The moon reflected off the broken glass still held in the tattered window frame. Beth walked over to the window, examining the height of the brick opening that held the wooden frame. She could barely touch the lip of the window seal. If someone were to boost her up, she would be able bust out the remaining glass in one of the panes and climb through.  
  
"Daryl," Beth said his name softly, never removing her eyes from the window.  
  
"Yeah?" Daryl's voice traveled toward her from where he stood next to Michonne.  
  
Beth glanced at him and pointed up to the window. Daryl followed her direction and furrowed his brows.  
  
"Hell no," Daryl said automatically.  
  
"What is it?" Michonne inquired.  
  
"I'm small enough that I can climb through," Beth pointed back up to the window, "I just need a boost."  
  
"No fuckin' way," Daryl refused more forcefully.  
  
"Maybe there's somethin' inside I can toss back out to you so you can pry the latch off the door? We don't have the right key and we're not getting that lock off _without_ the key. What other choice do we have?" Beth argued.  
  
"We don't," Michonne answered seriously, "but there's a chance that there won't be anything in there we can use."  
  
"Then I'll figure out a way to get the weapons out of the window," Beth replied.  
  
"You're goin' in there blind," Daryl tightened his jaw.  
  
"I can do this," Beth met his gaze calmly.  
  
"I don't like it," Michonne crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"I'm _doing_ this," Beth restated herself sternly.  
  
Michonne and Daryl exchanged a look. They all knew they didn't have any other options. Not everyone waiting for them had a weapon, they _themselves_ didn't have weapons, and the only way they were freeing the people trapped here was by getting into that armory.  
  
Beth was glaring at Daryl. Michonne had expressed her concern, however Daryl had flat out told her no. She was already annoyed that they couldn't get the door open, but Daryl refusing to trust her abilities _really_ ticked her off. She understood his concern, she wasn't thrilled with the idea herself, but they didn't have time to sit around and debate.  
  
"If she says she can do it, who am I to argue?" Michonne sighed, shrugging her shoulders.  
  
Daryl met Beth's glare with a grimace of his own. Begrudgingly he approached her, where she stood under the window seal, and placed both his hands on his hips. His eyes now downcast, he worked on his bottom lip, and remained silent.  
  
"Daryl," Beth huffed, "I'm just goin' through the window. It's not like it'd be any less dangerous than goin' through the door. Whatever's inside is gonna' be inside no matter which way we go in."  
  
Daryl breathed in through his nostrils. She could imagine the face he was making, she'd seen it several times; brows furrows, eyes squinting, lips pressed into a thin line, and nostrils flared while he worked to organize his thoughts.  
  
"It'll be fine," she bent down to try and look at his face, "and you know that one of us sneaking in is a lot less inconspicuous than three, regardless of how quiet we all can be."  
  
His eyes stared at her through his fringe. The crystal blue of his irises shone in the moonlight. The intensity was enough to steal her breath away and she gulped involuntarily.  
Daryl lifted his head to stare down his nose at her.  
  
"You get in. You stay hidden. Find somethin' to get that damned door open and ya' get it t'me asap," his voice came out deep, gruff.  
  
Beth nodded and shoved her stake into her back pocket. She placed her hands on his shoulders, bracing herself to step into his hands; however he made no move to help her up. Beth furrowed her brows. She peeked around his shoulder and noticed Michonne was keeping watch over the alley way they had come from.  
  
She then cleared her throat and turned her attention back to Daryl, "Do you trust me?"  
  
The question seemed to have caught him off-guard by the narrowing of his eyes, "What kinda' question is that? Ya' know I do."  
  
"Then you know I can take care of myself," Beth tipped her head to the side and smirked.  
  
Daryl sighed, bowing his head in defeat, and squatted down making a brace for Beth's foot by interlacing his fingers, "Just make sure you don't do nothin' until I get in there."  
  
Beth smiled wide. She was relieved to know that even though he didn't want her going in alone, that he trusted her to be able to handle whatever waited inside. She had no intention of looking for trouble, but she had people depending on her. She would do whatever she had to in order to get Daryl and Michonne those weapons.  
  
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead atop the mop of his brown locks. His shoulders went rigid, but he didn't move away. She took a deep breath, her senses filled with everything that was Daryl, and it gave her a sensation of clarity.  
  
"I'll see you in a few," she whispered.  
  
Daryl hummed; the depth of his voice distinctly more so in their proximity. Beth pulled away and caught the quick glance he gave her. He then shifted his weight to strengthen the cradle he had created with his hands and Beth placed her foot in his hold.  
  
"On three," she said and he nodded, "One…two…three."  
  
Then she was flying upward. She caught the lip of the window seal and began climbing inside. There were shards of glass still attached to the frame, pointing at her dangerously, and Beth winced when a piece caught her cheek as she clambered through the bottom right panel.  
  
She pulled her wooden pike out of her back pocket and leapt down from the window as quietly as she could. She landed on her toes and hunched down. The warehouse was dark, only a few candles lit around the room. There were metal racks, similar to the ones she'd had in her utility closet, situated closer to the door opposite of the one Daryl and Michonne waited behind. The building looked like it had been some sort of repair shed. There were a few hydraulic lifts in front of her, some suspended in the air while others rested flat against the ground, and various tools were strewn about the building.  
  
She had yet to move, listening for footsteps to echo in the dark, signaling that someone else was in the armory with her. When she hadn't heard anything after a few minutes of waiting, Beth tiptoed across the concrete floor to the shelves. Her eyes widened in shock at the amount of weapons stored in the building. The astonishment quickly subsided into nausea in the knowledge that there was an extremely high possibility that all, if not at least ninety percent, of the weapons were from people who were locked up in the boxcars…or worse.  
  
The shelves were filled with knives, machetes, axes, loose bullets that belonged to the various guns that littered the shelves, and even a few homemade weapons. A crowbar caught her eye and she picked up the metal tool. It was crusted in a black film, most likely walker blood, but it looked sturdy enough to get the latch off of the door that kept Daryl and Michonne locked outside.  
  
Beth froze when she heard a noise from the door she was now closest to and dropped to the floor. A jingling of keys, followed by a door slowly opening, echoed through the warehouse. Then the footsteps of someone coming into the warehouse filled the silence and the door shut. She could see a pair of legs from in between one of the shelves and thanked anyone who was listening that only one person had entered.  
  
Then panic set in.  
  
She had nowhere to hide. Nowhere to run. If they saw her, she'd have to make sure they weren't able to tell anyone and ruin their chances of taking Terminus by surprise. She then recognized that she still had the upper hand against whoever had entered. They weren't expecting anyone to be inside the armory and she hadn't been seen. Pushing up on her hands and knees, she carefully lifted herself into a crouched position. She was thankful she had discarded her wooden weapon in favor of the crowbar she held tightly in her hands.  
  
She took slow, even steps toward the Terminus resident that was impeding on her plans. She could make out the silhouette of a man, a _very_ _large_ man, with a gun strapped around his back. He was leaning over a desk, a candle lighting half of his body, inspecting a piece of paper. She was only a few feet away when the man stood to his full height and turned away from the desk.  
  
Beth froze.  
  
He was rifling through one of the shelves beside the desk, still unaware of her presence. She heard him curse under his breath and then he turned toward her. She was caught. She had to act or everything would be ruined.  
  
"What the hell are you doing in here?" The Terminus dweller asked her crudely; removing his weapon.  
  
Beth didn't answer. Instead she leapt forward and swung the crowbar at his head. He managed to block the brunt of the swing with his arm, dropping his gun in the process, but she had still done damage to his person. Not wanting to give him the chance to pick up his weapon, she swung again. This time she made contact with the side of his head and his body crumpled to the ground. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath; adrenaline surging through her veins. She approached him cautiously, unsure whether her blow had indeed knocked the man out or if he was feigning unconsciousness. She nudged him with her foot twice and when he didn't move she bent down to search for the keys that had granted him access inside the armory.  
  
The pockets on her side were empty. She took a deep breath and scanned the stranger before reaching across his body to search his other pocket. As soon as her fingers grasped the keys, she was knocked back. The room spun for a few seconds before she was able to make it stop and register what had just happened.  
  
The man, who was definitely _not_ unconscious, was hovering over her on all fours. She tried crawling back, but he managed to grab her ankle and yank her underneath him.  
  
"I'm going to enjoy peeling the meat from your bones," he hissed, "after I release some of my _frustration_."  
  
Beth's eyes frantically searched for the crowbar, however, she didn't have time to locate it before the man was pressing down on top of her. Beth felt the air vanish from her lungs. She felt invading hands skimming her sides, making their way under her shirt. The moment his hands made contact with the skin of her stomach, Beth found her voice.  
  
"Get _OFF_ of me you son of'ah bitch!" Beth hollered.  
  
Her pleas were ignored and Beth discerned that only one of them would be walking away from this alive. She frantically searched for anything she could use as a weapon. His hands were getting dangerously close to her bra and Beth's instincts kicked into overdrive. She was _not_ going to lose her virginity on the floor of a warehouse to some stranger and she'd be damned if this man made her a liar to Daryl.  
  
She grabbed a handful of his hair and ripped his head away from her neck. Not hesitating she dug both of her thumbs into his eye sockets, fully intent on gouging his eyes out of his head. The painful noise that came from the man's throat encouraged her. She tried to get her legs situated to kick him in the groin, but he was bigger and much stronger than her. He swung wildly, knocking one of her arms away from his eyes and into the metal shelf beside them. She hissed at the immediate pain she felt from coming in contact with the ledge, but it was forgotten as soon as she saw the shiny object that had fallen from jarring the rack.  
  
"You _bitch_ ," her attacker yelled from where he straddled her hips, "I'm going to rip you limb from _fucking_ limb!"  
  
Beth didn't give him the chance to say anything more. She grabbed the knife that had fallen to the ground and forced herself up on one elbow. She then ripped one of her legs free and kicked the brute squarely in the chest. He fell backwards, blinking his bloodied eyes at her. She tried to get up and run for the door he had entered through, but he grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her back to the ground.  
  
" _No_! Let me _go_!" Beth hissed, swinging her fists at the man with all the strength her limbs allowed.  
  
Blood dripped on her face. She knew she had distorted his vision, but she wasn't sure by how much, and it was clear that no matter what she did he was not going to let her go. A hand gripped her throat, followed by a second, and it became hard to breath. She had to do something drastic or she would be reuniting with her father sooner than later.  
  
The world moved in slow motion.  
  
She could hear banging on the locked door that separated her from Daryl and Michonne. She knew if they had heard their skirmish then there was a chance that someone else had as well. Using the knife she had been desperately clutching she swung and sliced him across his cheek up into his ear. More blood descended upon her. She swung again, catching him across the forehead. His hands left her throat and went to his wounds. It was then that Beth saw her opening.  
  
In one clean slice she slit his throat. There was a sickening gurgle as blood spewed from the wound. She kicked him off of her once more and struggled to get to her feet. He would be another person added to her list of lives she had taken. Granted it was a short list, but the fact that she had a list _period_ made her heart constrict in her chest. She caught her breath and struggled to drag the still warm body under one of the hydraulic lifts that's base was elevated in the air.  
  
Shawn had worked as a mechanic during the summers of his high school years. She had idolized her brother when she was younger and would listen with vast interest to all he would share about 'how things worked.' Thus, she was vaguely familiar with the mechanics of hydraulic lifts. She knew that if the base was up in the air, then that meant there was pressure in the hydraulic hose.  
  
Shuffling over to the black tube that hung from the lift, she nicked the hose with her bloodied knife. The lift creaked and as the hydraulic fluid trickled in a steady stream from the line, the base began lowering to the ground.  
  
She couldn't let him become a walker. He may have been a horrible person, an opinion she had formed for their brief encounter, but she couldn't do that to someone. Nor could she find the courage to stab him through the eye socket and pierce his brain. Mangling his face with an axe or other weapon wasn't an option she was willing to perform either.  
  
"I'm sorry," she murmured, dropping the knife and letting it clatter on the concrete floor.  
  
The base continued its descent and Beth refused to watch any longer. She walked over to where the keys she had been searching for lay discarded on the ground. Bending down to pick them up, she heard a revolting crunch from the hydraulic life behind her.  
  
The man would no longer come back as a flesh eating abomination.  
  
She was bone-weary, bloody, and was fighting to keep her bile in her stomach. Movement on the far wall caught her attention and another surge of adrenaline rushed her system. Narrowing her eyes she spotted Michonne crouched on the window seal with the gun Daryl had acquired in hand. She must have busted out some of the glass and climbed through during the fight because Beth didn't recall ever hearing any glass shatter.  
  
"Don't jump," Beth croaked.  
  
Her throat felt tender. She knew it would probably bruise, if it hadn't already, but she took pride in the fact that _she_ was still alive for her throat _to_ bruise. She hadn't kept her word to Daryl, for she wasn't _fine_ , but she was alive and that would trump the former.  
  
Beth forced her legs to take her closer to Michonne and she tossed the keys up to the woman in the window. Michonne didn't say anything, but Beth could feel her eyes examining her. She must have looked as terrible as she felt from the scowl on Michonne's face. She sighed, presuming that Daryl would _flip_ when he saw her. She didn't even want to think about how Maggie was going to react.  
  
She watched Michonne turn, toss the keys to the other side of the wall, and nod her head once. There was a chiming of keys and the door swung open with more force than necessary. Beth stood straight, refusing to look as weak as she felt, and waited for Daryl to cross the threshold.  
  
He loomed in the doorway, eyes checking her from head to toe, and she could _feel_ the rage enveloping his aura. They were at an impasse. He was making no moves toward her and she wasn't going to go to him.  
  
Michonne jumped down from the window and approached Beth. The katana-wielding-woman placed both of her hands on Beth's shoulders tenderly, forcing Beth to shift her concentration away from Daryl.  
  
"It was him or you," Michonne said quietly.  
  
Beth exhaled loudly. She blinked back tears as the reality of what had just transpired consumed her. She had had to kill another human being so that she could live. She didn't value her life over anyone else's, but she had done just that in taking her attacker's life. Granted he had attempted to perform an immoral act against her and had made his intentions regarding her life _very_ clear, but her deed was equally depraved when she took his life.  
  
Beth nodded, not brave enough to voice her thoughts and knowing they didn't have the time to sort out her views on morality. Rick and the others were waiting on weapons so they could free the people being kept against their will. The lives in those rail cars far outweighed that of whatever was left of the man under the hydraulic lift.  
  
Michonne patted her shoulders, and then moved to gather weapons. Taking a deep breath Beth shifted her gaze back to Daryl. He was still standing in the doorway, but his face betrayed his concern. Beth extended her hand, her bloody fingers trembling at the exertion, beckoning him closer. He turned and quietly closed the door behind him before advancing on her. He took her hand and she could feel his strength transferring into her.  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't keep my word," she spoke in hushed tones.  
  
She tried to smile, but her facial muscles wouldn't cooperate. Instead she squeezed his hand, hoping it conveyed what she was feeling. He rummaged around behind him and pulled out his bandana. Reaching up, he gently began wiping her face. Beth closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of safety he provided her despite their dangerous predicament.  
  
"You gotta' cut," Daryl rubbed his thumb tenderly over her cheek.  
  
Beth blinked her eyes open, "It's from tha' glass when I was climbin' through the window."  
  
He accepted her answer without response. After a few more wipes he put the bandana back in his pocket and stared down at her. She met his eyes and realized she had been wrong in her thinking earlier. Her life might not have been any more important to herself than another person's, but she could name a few people who would argue with her in those regards.  
  
"He hurt you?" Daryl narrowed his eyes.  
  
She wasn't willing to divulge what had almost happened. She had stopped her assailant before things had progressed too far and she wasn't sure how he'd react to the details. Her shirt was ripped, her throat was sore, but she was otherwise unharmed. There was no reason to get into the specifics. They needed to have a clear head for when they stormed the roofs.  
  
"He's dead. It doesn't matter," Beth replied, looking over her shoulder at the bloody mess of the mangled body.  
  
She felt a soft pressure around her throat and she panicked. Her head whipped back to him, her eyes wild, and her breath hitched. His hand was barely touching her skin, but the sense of déjà vu that overwhelmed her was too powerful to ignore. She took several calming breaths, her eyes boring into his, and she attempted another faint smile. His fingers skimmed over her skin, as if he was trying to wipe away the bruising like he had with the blood, and Beth's heart began to race for a different reason.  
  
The look on his face was something Beth couldn't decipher. Her eyes danced between the both of his, trying to make sense of everything her brain was processing, but it suddenly seemed like the world was falling away from underneath her feet.  
  
Beth couldn't tell if they had been standing there for minutes, or even hours, but the moment was broken when Michonne spoke up, "I found your crossbows."  
  
Beth's smile came of its own free will. Finally something good had worked out for them. Daryl dropped his hand from her neck and squeezed the hand he still held, and then they were both moving to Michonne. Beth could have hugged her inanimate weapon, ecstatic to be reunited with her crossbow, but instead opted for hugging Michonne. The woman chuckled and returned the embrace.  
  
"I'm going to take these back to the group," Michonne announced; stepping back and hefting several semi-automatic rifles over her shoulder. She looked more like herself with her katana across her back.  
  
Daryl examined his crossbow, checking the strings and its pull, before replying, "Alright. We're gonna' find that ladder. Start sortin' out things on the roof."  
  
"Sounds good," Michonne moved to the door and paused, "When you two start…things are going to get bad quick."  
  
Daryl scoffed, "You ain't whistlin' Dixie."  
  
Michonne gave him a look that conveyed she wasn't amused by his sarcasm, "Just be careful."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Daryl replied while nocking his crossbow.  
  
"We'll be careful," Beth added pulling an arrow from her attached quiver to follow suit, "You watch yourself too."  
  
Michonne gave them one last look before disappearing out of the building and it was just the two of them. It felt like before they had been separated; her and Daryl against what was left of the world. This time though, she knew Maggie and Glenn were alive as well as everyone else, and the weight that had been around them before was missing.  
  
"You gonna' be alright?" Daryl asked quietly.  
  
Beth glanced at him. She was sure he wasn't asking if she was okay physically, but more 'okay' with what they were about to do. She wasn't _okay_ with either, but there were things that needed to be done, "I'll be fine."  
  
"Gotta' aim for the head. We can't afford walkers," Daryl's voice was stern.  
  
"I know," Beth nodded, following him to the door across the building.  
  
"You get in trouble, you keep yer' head down. I'll come find ya'," Daryl turned to her before opening the door.  
  
"Daryl," Beth raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm not a damsel in distress."  
  
"I know you ain't. Doesn't mean you won't get into ah' tight spot," Daryl countered.  
  
"You watch my back, I watch yours," Beth stated, "that's how we've always done things."  
  
Daryl looked at her for a long moment before nodding and turning to open the door. Beth waited, gripping her crossbow tightly, but the door remained closed. Just as Beth was about to ask what was wrong, Daryl turned to give her a view of his profile.  
  
"You took care of that bastard so you don't have'tah apologize. If I had been in here…" His voice trailed off.  
  
Beth studied his profile closely. His eyes were hidden by his hair so she focused on his mouth as he spoke. She hadn't noticed how full his lips were or that he had remarkably straight teeth. She'd never paid attention to the fact that even though he didn't have a full beard, his scruffy facial hair suited him, and that his facial structure as a whole was…handsome.  
  
"I know," Beth snapped herself out of her thoughts.  
  
"Just keep your word this time," Daryl's strikingly blue eyes became visible through his hair.  
  
Beth was noticing all sorts of things about Daryl that she hadn't before.  
  
"I will," Beth managed to reply.  
  
His gaze lingered a moment longer and then he pushed the door open; jerking his head for her to go through. She adjusted her grip on her crossbow once more, feeling relief at being reunited with her long-lost friend, and lifted the weapon to her shoulder. As she walked past Daryl, her tattered shirt allowed his hand to graze her bare hip, and the brief encounter sent a wave of chills through her body.  
  
Whether Daryl reacted the same way or not, she didn't trust herself to look, instead forcing herself to stay focused on being ready for someone to appear in front of them. They took a left, walking toward the rear of the building, and checked around the corner. Beth signaled it was clear, and she followed him around the building, passing two back streets, turning down the third. The ladder was right where their informant had said it would be.  
  
"I'll go up first," Daryl whispered.  
  
Beth grabbed his forearm as he was reaching up to begin climbing, making him stop and look at her.  
  
"If you get into trouble, keep your head down. I'll come find ya'," Beth repeated what he had said to her a few moments ago.  
  
Daryl stared at her and shook his head, chuckling softly, "You're somethin' else Greene."  
  
Beth smiled, "I got your back."  
  
The amusement on his face vanished and the air between them became somber, "An' I got yours."  
  
"Don't die on me, okay?" Beth tried to make light of the statement.  
  
"I can't make no promises, but I don't plan on goin' nowhere today," Daryl declared.  
  
"Better not," Beth ordered.  
  
Daryl opened his mouth to say something, closing it almost immediately, keeping the words locked behind his lips. He squinted his eyes and chewed on the inside of his lip. Beth had an idea of what he wanted to say. The direction of their conversation made for a rather easy educated guess.  
  
"I don't plan on dying today either," Beth expressed confidently.  
  
He smirked, exhaling through his nose, "Bes' not."  
  
Then Daryl began climbing and Beth sent a silent message to her father while she followed behind him.  
 _  
I'm gonna' have faith Daddy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...some lovely Daryl x Beth developement. I had so much fun writing this chapter. Some dark and fluff all in one. Perfect for the Walking Dead. Let me know what you guys think! XOXO


	8. Chapter 8

****Disclaimer:** ** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.

Beth wiped the sweat from her eyes. She had long since adjusted to seeing in the dark, but she was still having trouble aiming in such opaque visibility. So far she had taken out three snipers. The problem she had run into was that the bolts didn't dislodge from a living person's skull the way they did a walker's. She had nearly gagged when she lifted the first bolt up and the person's head followed along with it. She immediately dropped it, a dull 'thud' sounded from the dead man's head hitting the concrete roof. She had glanced at Daryl, who seemed to have no qualms ripping his bolt from a man's eye socket, and forced herself to yank the bolt free.

She would have to deal with the emotional repercussions later. The group was depending on her and Daryl to do what needed to be done. They had to take the lives of these men to ensure that no one she cared about was taken from her. From then on she had been much more careful where she aimed.

Daryl looked over the metal pipe they were using for cover, and then squatted back down beside her, "I see three of 'em. Gonna' be hard to take out all three without tippin' one of 'em off that we're here."

Beth furrowed her brows in thought, "Think we could lure one of 'em over here?"

"You think they'd fall for that shit?" Daryl asked incredulously.

"Worth a shot? Beth shrugged one of her shoulders.

"How we go about it?" Daryl inquired.

Beth stopped her racing mind and a small smile graced her features despite their situation. Any doubts she had felt on Daryl trusting her instincts were mollified by his simple question.

"One of us has to be the bait and the other is gonna' have to take them out," Beth could only conjure up the most classic scenario.

Beth waited for Daryl to weigh in on her suggestion. His jaw muscles bulged several times, but his lips remained in a tight line. She knew he wasn't sold on the idea, but the alternative didn't sound any safer than splitting up. Regardless, Beth decided to throw it out in order to make her first suggestion seem more logical.

"Only other option is to rush them. Try to take out all three before the odd-man-out raises the alarm," Beth stated cynically.

Daryl took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose, "Nah. We go in there guns ah' blazin' and we'll spook 'em. They'll turn tail and run and we'll have this whole god damned community on our ass."

"You're faster at reloading. I'll play bait and you take out the guy we lure away. I'll take the guy on the left and by that time you should have another bolt nocked for the last guy," Beth proposed.

"Sounds reasonable. You go on over to that roof access door. Figure out a way to get one of them suspicious of ya', but don't let 'em see you. I'll wait here and take care of him when he's almost on top of ya'," Daryl added.

"Alright," Beth bobbed her head in agreement.

She quickly checked her crossbow, making sure everything was in order, and leaned forward to begin sneaking back to the shed-like doorway.

A tug on her wrist caused to her pause, following the hand grasping hers up to Daryl's eyes. She raised her eyes brows in silent question, unsure why Daryl would have stopped her.

"If for some reason more than of of 'em head in yer' direction, _stay hidden_ ," he emphasized the last two words.

"I'm not leavin' you to-"

"Damnit Beth. I'm tellin' ya'. _Stay hidden_. I can't take care'ah myself," Daryl cut her off.

Beth stared at him, unwilling to accept the idea of leaving him behind, but she knew arguing with him was wasting valuable time. Instead she pulled her hand away, refusing to acknowledge his statement and snuck to the tin sided roof access.

Once there, she situated herself to the left of the door, and took stock of what she had to work with in order to gain the attention of one of their targets. She couldn't chance making too much noise, but she had to find a happy medium that would at least cause enough concern to investigate her hiding place. They were closer to the center of Terminus and she could only imagine how many snipers would be along the roofs of the inner buildings. Things were going to get hectic before they leveled out.

Shifting in her search, her crossbow tapped against the side of the tin building making a scratching noise as it moved while she turned. Beth froze. Then she repeated the action, intentionally scraping the stock of her weapon against the metal siding.

She could hear voices in the distance. She smiled, knowing she had their attention. She decided to wait, continuing to make the noise until they were a few feet away, and then slip around to the back side of the roof exit.

Her blood ran cold when she heard more than one set of footsteps coming in her direction.

"I can't believe you're too much of a pussy to come check this out by yourself," one man said.

"Well things _do_ actually go bump in the night now. No way in hell am I going anywhere by myself anymore," the second man retorted.

"Yeah, yeah. It's probably just a coon or somethin'," the first man replied.

"They ain't much better than 'ah roamer. They'll tear your face off jus' the same," the other voice countered.

"Such a fuckin' whiney baby," the first man sighed.

 _Shit_.

There were two of them. Her mind raced. Daryl was going to reveal himself and either get himself caught…or killed. She had already decided she wasn't going to follow his request, but she didn't honestly think two men would abandon their post to check on a noise.

_Shit._

Panic began seeping into her consciousness. She guessed the men were approximately twenty yards away, but didn't have any idea where the third man would be located, as she was unsure which two were advancing upon her. She had her crossbow, three bolts in the quiver and one nocked, her knife, and the fact that she was still hidden.

Beth mentally cursed. It would be so much easier if they were walkers. She could just stab one of them in the head and…she had an epiphany. With a walker, unless they were freshly turned, the matter around their skulls gave more so than she supposed a living being's would. However, the only difference between a human and a walker, besides the insatiable urge that drove them to eat human flesh, was a heartbeat and the amount of decomposition. The people of Terminus seemed to share more in common with walkers than even Joe and his gang had, assuming they were in fact slaughtering people to grill for supper.

_Daddy…please give me strength._

Beth unfastened the clip that held her seven inch blade in place. Pulling the knife out, she steadied her nerves, and attempted to shut down her brain. She needed to act on impulse. If she thought too much about what she was about to do, she wouldn't be able to follow through. She had hardened her heart to the world they lived in, but she would never be a stone cold killer.

"You see anything?" The voices were much closer.

"I don't know. Doesn't look like-"

Beth lunged. She jammed the knife into the upper left portion of his chest, praying that she pierced his heart and he would die quickly. Just as the second man opened his mouth to yell, a bolt entered his skull. Without thinking, Beth stood and pulled up her crossbow. The third man, having heard the ruckus, was standing directly in front of her, an estimated forty-five yards. Beth fired before he had the chance to run.

Gasping and gurgling drew her attention. Looking down, resting between her feet, was a still very much alive man. Beth stumbled back. The world suddenly felt very warm and her head pounded. Leaning against the door to the roof, Beth turned away to empty the meager contents still residing in her stomach.

A squelching noise, followed by a gasp of pain, and Beth retched harder. She stayed bent over, heaving for air, until the groans behind her stopped. She struggled to stand and warm hands wrapped around her torso. She leaned into a warm embrace, resting against the solidity that encompassed Daryl.

"I told you t'stay hidden," Daryl whispered.

Beth couldn't form a coherent response. The image of her knife plunging into the man's chest and the ease at which she was able to do so were burned into her memory. The scene was replaying like a broken record. It was becoming harder to breath. The more she tried to take a deep breath, the less air she seemed to inhale.

"Beth," Daryl's voice was firm.

She was light headed. Her sight was becoming blurry, but she wasn't sure if it was from lack of oxygen or her tears.

"Beth," Daryl repeated.

She was panting, desperately trying to fill her lungs, but unable to suck in any air. Her mouth went dry and she clutched at her chest in pain.

"Fuck! _Beth_!" Daryl pulled her away from his chest and placed his hands on either side of her face, his fingers threading through her tousled hair, forcing her to look up at him.

"In through your nose," Daryl breathed in deeply.

Beth tried to copy him.

"Out through your mouth," he exhaled slowly.

Beth struggled to do as he asked.

"Keep goin'," Daryl demanded.

Beth stared into his eyes, trying to mimic his breathing, but finding the involuntary action nearly impossible.

"Beth, you gotta' relax," Daryl coaxed her.

After several attempts, their eyes never parting, Beth began calming down. Her lungs burned and she was sure that her ribs would be sore from just _breathing_ , not counting the aches she would feel from her scuffle earlier.

Daryl remained silent, his clear eyes gauging her, and when she had taken her third deep breath, he let his hands drop to her shoulders. Beth leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his collarbone. She felt weak and her muscles burned, but she was grateful for every deep gulp of air she was able to take.

"Is he…" She managed to rasp out.

"Yeah," Daryl answered.

"I just…he…and there were two…" Beth rambled.

Beth felt his fingers dig into her shoulder before he was pushing her way enough to stare down at her. She met his eyes again, but she felt nothing from the glare he was giving her.

"Don't," Daryl hissed, "That's why I told ya' t'stay back."

"I couldn't just let them take you off somewhere! Or worse, _kill_ you!" Beth's argued. She had no delusions as to what would have happened to Daryl had she not done as she had.

"I said I could take care'ah myself," Daryl's glare intensified.

"Well I wasn't just gonna' sit there and watch. I'm done with being sidelined!" Beth raised her voice a little too loud.

They both glanced around; making sure no one had heard them. When no shouts of intruders or curious snipers appeared, Beth brought her gaze back to Daryl. He stared down at her, eyes filled with conflicting emotions, and he let his hands fall from her shoulders.

"I told you I had your back," Beth whispered, "I meant it."

Several heartbeats later, Daryl was the first to turn away. She watched him bend down to pick up his crossbow, peaking at her from under his bangs, and offered her a withdrawn response.

"Come'on. We got more t'do."

…

"I was thinkin' there'd be _more_ snipers toward the center of the community, but none?" Beth questioned in disbelief.

"Somethin' don't feel right," Daryl agreed.

"You think they know we're here?" Beth scanned the courtyard area for signs of people on alert.

"Can't say," Daryl shifted his weight, leaning forward from his crouched position to look over the edge of the roof.

They had only come across two more snipers. They had each grabbed an automatic rifle from their victims, knowing full and well that when the time came, their crossbows would be useless. She pressed the spare clip sticking out of her back pocket further down; the metal case sliding up as she squatted down further to peer over the ledge with Daryl.

"What do ya' think we should do?" Beth asked, not seeing anything below them in the darkness.

"I say we double back. Stay on the roof until we get to where everyone's waitin'. Let them know we cleared out everyone we came across. See what Rick thinks," Daryl suggested.

"'Kay," Beth looked over his profile, "Sounds good to me."

Daryl cut his eyes to her before backing away from the edge. She followed behind him, feeling remorseful that she had made him so tense. She had told herself she would keep her emotions in check until they were done with Terminus and she was alone. That she needed to at least hold up the façade of being numb to the lives they were taking for Daryl's sake. He didn't need her breaking down on him, regardless of whether or not her guilt was already swallowing her whole. He needed to be able to depend on her. He was getting his hands just as dirty as she was and he wasn't letting it show.

Her main source of guilt was when she had been left with no choices, and Daryl's safety had been at stake, she had been able to execute an unimaginable horror. Not only had she taken a man's life in such a personal manner; she had let him suffer.

Her mind replayed the scenario over and over again. She knew the only scenario that would have spared the man any pain was using her crossbow, but then she would have risked allowing the third man to get away and foiling their entire plan and endangering her loved one's lives. She would have to come to terms with what she had done, but that would have to happen later. She needed to get her mind back where it needed to be and focus on helping Daryl handle the rooftops.

When she finally got her thoughts in order she realized that he had stopped creeping forward, and she managed to catch herself a hairsbreadth before they would have collided. If he noticed, he didn't give her any indications, only focusing on the chasm between them and the next roof.

"We're gonna' have to jump," Daryl stated the obvious.

"Great," Beth replied flatly.

Beth could hear Daryl's smirk even though she couldn't see anything but the wings on his back.

"Ain't that far," Daryl said while he lifted the strap of his crossbow over his chest, securing the gun underneath his weapon.

"Says you," Beth leaned over to look at the alleyway beneath them, "and that is a _long_ way down."

In truth; they were only on a two-story building, but it might as well have been a skyscraper. Beth wouldn't say she had a 'fear of heights,' but the idea of jumping from one rooftop to another wasn't on her bucket list.

"Jus' don't look down," Daryl stated as if were the simplest answer in the world.

She watched in mild fascination as he took several steps back and shook his arms, visibly readying himself to jump. As soon as he took the first step, her stomach dropped. She felt wind from his movement as he ran past her. It wasn't until he safely, if not a bit ungracefully, landed on the other side that she felt her shoulders relax.

"You're turn," Daryl waved her over, chest heaving.

He may have appeared calm about jumping over the gap, but from the rise and fall of his chest, Beth wasn't so sure he wasn't just acting brave for her.

"Fine," Beth sighed, adjusting her crossbow over her back, the normal comfort slightly obscured from the rifle resting against her back.

She retraced the steps Daryl had just taken and stared across the space between them. The situation was a metaphor of sorts in Beth's eyes. Here they were, both from different backgrounds, growing up in a starkly contrasted family environment, and they should have been literally worlds apart.

Then Beth ran. She forced her feet to propel her faster and when she reached the end of the roof she jumped.

Even being completely different types of people, the two of them had found each other and formed an unbreakable bond. She had managed to penetrate his defenses; always running to him and never letting him run away. He had given her strength when she had little left of her own. He had made her strong and she had given him hope.

When her feet landed on the concrete, his arms wrapped around her and kept her from falling. She gripped his biceps tightly, trying to steady herself, and when she looked up at him she found the corners of his lips slightly upturned in the smallest of smiles.

Regardless of the fact that their paths would have never crossed _before_ , she would be forever grateful that their fates had changed. She would always run after him and he would always catch her.

Beth wasn't sure what expression she held on her face, but from the look Daryl was giving her, she had displayed all of her thoughts for him like an open book. His grip on her waist was soft, yet strong, and she was suddenly very aware of his fingers against the skin where her shirt had been torn.

They were covered in blood, sweat, and dirt. They had done things tonight that they would never speak of to anyone. Yet she had never felt more equal to anyone in her entire life. Even though she wasn't sure she would ever 'fit' in the world they lived in now, she at least had moments like these. Moments when the world seemed its darkest, light would filter through and rekindle her _own_ hope. Daryl cleared his throat, "Couple of more rooftops and we should be right above everyone."

Beth nodded and let go of his arms. His touch lingered over her waist a few more moments and then they were running again.

…

As they reached the outskirts of Terminus, having successfully navigated the maze of rooftops, Beth's fears were realized. Rick, Carl, Abraham, Bob, Sasha, and Tyreese were all being held at gunpoint by two men. Maggie, Glenn, and Michonne were nowhere in sight and that both comforted and unnerved Beth.

Beth could hear one man giving them instructions, but was unable to make out the words. When everyone began dropping their weapons, Beth knew what their instructions had been. The two men began conversing to themselves and she knew they had to do something quick or their cover would be blown, if it hadn't already.

"See anyone else?" She asked.

"Nuh uh. Looks like they just found 'em," Daryl's eyes were sharp even in the dark.

Pulling her crossbow around , she removed the strap that held it on her shoulder. Whispering quietly she readied herself, "I got the one of the left. You take the one on the right."

Daryl's only response was pulling his crossbow up and taking aim.

Beth swallowed and fell into the natural pose that Daryl had taught her. She looked into the sight mounted on the crossbow and took aim at the man standing to the left. Holding the crossbow solid and steady, she took a long, deep breath in. She _had_ to hit the mark. If she was even an inch or two off, she risked hitting Rick. On the exhale, she squeezed the trigger with her index finger and let the bolt fly.

The two men dropped simultaneously, the neon green fletching of their bolts shining in the moonlight. As soon as the men fell, Rick motioned to everyone, each of them snatching up their guns and racing back to the alley way under her and Daryl.

"Boy, am I glad to see you two," relief evident in Rick's smile.

"Where's Maggie and Glenn?" Beth blurted out.

"They went ahead to scout with Michonne. We were afraid something might have happened to you two," Rick answered truthfully.

"We ran into some trouble. We handled it," Daryl kept the statement vague.

Rick glanced between the two of them from where he stood below, seeming to understand, and didn't press the matter, "The rooftops clear then?"

"Far as we can tell," Daryl replied.

"We didn't see any on the roofs near the center of town," Beth added.

Rick's hand slide through his hair, "What do ya' think Daryl?"

Daryl fiddled with his crossbow, his teeth anxiously gnawing at his bottom lip. He took a deep breath and Beth knew whatever he was about to say wasn't going to be in their favor, "They probably know we're here. May not know where we're at specifically, but they know they got intruders lurkin' around. That's my guess."

"Damn it," Rick cursed.

"So what do we do?" Abraham spoke up.

"We definitely can't stay here. Those guys snuck up on us, but we got lucky with you two showing up when you did. If they found us, more guys will eventually come this way," Sasha added.

"I agree," Bob said, now holding onto one of the automatic rifles Michonne had taken from the armory.

"Alright. Here's how it's gonna' go. Daryl and Beth, you two stay on the rooftops. We'll leave two buildings between us. Keep an eye out ahead of us and take care of any more snipers you come across. Anyone got an idea for what we can use as a signal?" Rick finished.

They couldn't yell, or whistle, or even clap. It had to be a quiet, barely audible signal that only those below would hear.

"Daryl, give me that second clip you picked up," Beth requested.

He pulled one of the two extra clips he had taken and handed it to her. Beth repositioned her crossbow over her shoulder and grabbed the clip from him. Holding the clip with one hand, she gently pushed the bullets out with her thumb.

"Can we toss a few of these down?" Beth asked, holding the stray bullets she had removed in her hand.

Daryl took two and tossed them over the edge. A few, short chimes rang as the bullets bounced on the ground, "Ain't the safest with the primer still attached, but I think it'll work."

"It's loud enough for us to hear, but it shouldn't alert anyone," Carl agreed.

"It'll do," Rick affirmed.

"We'll lead the way to the boxcars. We'll let ya' know when to turn. Place is a fuckin' maze," Daryl groused.

"Hopefully we'll run into Michonne, Maggie, and Glenn. They shouldn't be too far ahead of us," Tyreese disclosed.

"Then let's get a move on," Abraham held his gun against his shoulder.

Daryl turned to Beth, "You ready?"

Beth narrowed her eyes, handing him the last of the bullets she had removed from the clip, and took a steadying breath. She had felt a rollercoaster of emotions during their excursion, most of which she would feel the repercussions of bearing down on her soul for years to come, but she was still alive; still breathing. As long as she was able, she would do the right thing, regardless of what moral consequences she would have to face later.

"Let's go free those people," Beth answered somberly.

Then they were moving, running in the direction of the rail cars they had passed by several days before. This time they weren't defenseless and knew _exactly_ what kind of people they were dealing with. Tonight Terminus' scheme would come to an end.

_Daddy…I need your help just a little while longer._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to do a little researching on how to "properly" shoot a crossbow. I've toyed with a compound bow so I knew the gist of it, but I'm giving ehow credit for helping me word everything properly! : )
> 
> Let me know what you think! I love hearing feedback!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
Thank you** Nicole137137 for editing this so quickly for me today!  
  
Sorry for the late night update! Had a busy day today! : )  
  
...  
  
Beth pressed her back further against the trio of metal exhaust pipes on the roof of the building she had hunkered down on. Bullets were flying, people were screaming, and it was utter chaos. She had gotten separated from Daryl in the midst of the fight. They had been providing cover while Rick and the others worked on getting everyone out of the boxcar.  
  
She and Daryl had been crouched on the roof when the first bullets sped past them. She felt herself being shoved to the ground, Daryl yelling at her to find cover, and then shots began firing beside her. In a brief moment of panic she had laid frozen, eyes desperately scanning for Daryl. She spotted him a few feet away, firing the gun he had taken from a deceased Terminus resident. He was attracting their attention, Beth had realized, by propelling her out of sight and opening fire upon the men who had rushed them on the roof.  
  
Another bullet whizzed beside her, penetrating the metal cylinders, and exiting beside her head. Beth's hands instinctively went to shield her head as she ducked her chin into her chest. She had no idea whether everyone was under attack or if they had managed to get the captives out. A more pressing concern was the fact that she couldn't find Daryl in any direction she looked. Most of the men firing had indeed chased after him, but there were still a handful opening fire upon her.  
  
"Get it together Greene," Beth whispered to herself.  
  
She ripped her crossbow off of her shoulders, careful not to expose her arms past the exhaust piping that acted as her shield, and dropped it at her feet in a loud clatter. She then pulled the gun that had been resting against her back around and flicked the safety off with her thumb. Another bullet flew through the metal behind her and Beth winced at how close their aim had been to hitting her. Pulling the bolt back, she loaded a round in the chamber, and gathered the courage to peer around the cylinder to the shooters behind her.  
  
"One…two…three…," Beth counted to herself before forcing her body to do as she commanded.  
  
Two men ducked down behind a vent while a third was standing in the open, but she couldn't risk revealing herself long enough to make sure there weren't more lurking. She pressed herself against the conduit once more, sliding over to examine the other side.  
  
"Come out, come out…we _know_ where you are," one of the men taunted.  
  
"Didn't yer' momma ever teach ya' not t'play with yer' food Jonas?" Another voice jeered.  
  
Beth cringed. Her body ached from the exertion she had put forth in the last several hours, she was mentally and emotionally drained, and she just wanted everything to be _done._ Taking a deep breath, she peeked around the pipe, counting another man and a woman with their sights trained in her direction. Beth jerked herself away in time for another round of projectiles to fly past her.  
  
"Quit screwin' around over there," the female yelled over the chaos.  
  
Beth heard the men to her left yelling back and knew she had to take the small window of opportunity she had. She double-checked that the safety was off, took a deep breath, and slung herself around the conduits. She fired two short bursts, the first missing the man standing out in the open completely, while the second set of bullets hit him squarely in his bicep. The man was turned, only giving Beth his profile while he yelled at the women across from him, and fell limply to the ground; the bullet having travelled through his arm and exiting out the other side of his torso. Beth's aim wasn't as accurate, not being accustomed to the gun in her hands, but she hoped that she had pierced his heart. Mentally taking note of how off the gun's sights were, Beth took cover, and waited for her next opportunity.  
  
Beth tried to ignore the earsplitting scream that erupted from the woman, but Beth felt it vibrate through her. Then the sounds she heard were reminiscent of rain bouncing off the tin roof of the barn when she would help her father clean the stables. Beth dropped onto her hands and knees, realizing that the four remaining attackers were spraying bullets and praying they hit her.  
  
She could hear gunshots in the distance. She knew that loved ones were beneath her fighting for their lives. She had lost sight of Daryl and was outnumbered. Beth tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat. She refused to give up; however, she knew the odds were not in her favor. She was on her own.  
 _  
Daryl isn't coming_.  
  
The phrase echoed in her. Flashes of being locked in the trunk of a black car, fighting for her life on a run gone wrong, and surviving all winter long by herself filtered through her mind. She was on her own and that was okay. She likely wouldn't make it out of this alive, but she had to keep fighting. She couldn't give up. Giving up meant you were dead and Beth was _not_ dead yet.  
  
She crouched down, resting her weight on the ball of her heels, and peered around the metal piping once more. They were still firing bullets at random, aiming higher, where she had been standing. Taking into consideration how off the sights of the gun were, Beth leaned out from behind her shield and fired several quick rounds, taking out the man with a clean shot to the head and wounding the woman. She didn't wait to see how badly injured the woman was before she hid behind the exhaust conduit again to take cover from the remaining gunman.  
  
Pulling the now empty clip from her gun, Beth reloaded the gun and pulled the bolt back to once again load a bullet in the chamber. It had gotten eerily quiet behind her and Beth felt her skin crawl. The chaos reigning on the ground was deafening, but not being able to hear anyone behind her drowned out everything else. She knew there was one more man. She had counted two men on one side as well as a man and woman on the other. She was positive of this.  
  
Easing her way away from the piping, Beth aimed her gun in front of her. She slowly stepped away from her makeshift and battered shield, careful not to trip over her crossbow, with her sights trained forward. Her eyes scanned the rooftop for the fourth man. Two lay dead and the moans of pain from the woman were easily recognizable, but the fourth gunman eluded her.  
Movement to her left had her turning and firing before she had time to process her own reaction. Dark burgundy seeped through the man's gray cotton shirt. Three perfect circles formed on his torso and bled into a giant stain that covered his stomach. The man fell to his knees, gun clattering on the concrete roof. Beth wasted no time in checking their clips and relieving them of any spare ammunition.  
  
Now having two full clips in her back pockets, Beth was faced with a dilemma worse than being outnumbered four to one. She had to decide whether to kill these two injured people or leave them. There was a chance that their injuries wouldn't kill them, or not the woman, for she was certain the man had already lost too much blood. The woman had only sustained a gunshot wound that pierced straight through her shoulder.  
  
Beth stood over the man. Blood pooled around him from where he lay on his stomach. She knew it had to be done, she knew she had to kill him, but her hands trembled around the gun she held. Every other life she had ever extinguished had been in an act of self-defense.  
  
"Shoot me," the man wheezed out, "I don't wanna' turn into one of those bastards."  
This was murdering an innocent man.  
  
"Hurry and kill me while I'm still _me_ ," the man begged.  
  
She was letting yet another person suffer; unable to commit the final act.  
  
"Please," he whispered.  
  
Beth raised her gun and aimed at the man's head. She would not repeat what had happened earlier on the roof with Daryl when she had lost herself in the grief of her actions. This time she would finish what she started.  
  
"Forgive me," Beth whispered and then she pulled the trigger.  
  
This was showing mercy.  
  
Sucking in a shuddering breath, Beth closed her eyes and tried to block the sight at her feet from her mind. She'd added yet another person to the list of lives she'd taken. Turning around, she opened her eyes once more, and moved to collect her crossbow. Securing her weapons, she glanced over the edge and felt relief that all of the railcar's doors were now open, but the mass of bodies that littered the ground made the small victory taste bitter. Praying that Maggie, Glenn, and the rest of the group that had been on the ground were safe, she adjusted the strap of her crossbow, and took off in the direction she had last seen Daryl.  
  
…  
  
Several bodies lined the roof, almost creating a trail of breadcrumbs, and she followed them in the hopes that they would lead her to Daryl. After she came across the fourth body, she could hear heavy gunfire, but the various levels of the buildings created walls and barriers that obstructed her sight. She could hear people yelling, their voices becoming more articulate as she crept closer, but she still had not seen anyone.  
  
"Just come out and we'll make this quick!" Beth heard a man yell ahead of her.  
  
She knew right then and there that she had found Daryl. She approached the ledge of the building she was on and looked down. There was an "L" shaped access around the building below here where the third story didn't cover the expanse of the entire roof. Sitting on the ledge, Beth pushed off and landed with a thud on the roof below.  
  
She crept to the end of the brick wall, passing a rusted ladder, and waited. Several shots caused Beth to jump and step back around the wall. Looking around, Beth saw nothing that would help her identify the number of men waiting around the corner. She pressed her lips into a thin line and looped the strap of her gun around her neck, letting the weapon hang loosely against her chest. She then removed her crossbow and nocked one of her two remaining bolts.  
Leaning her head back against the brick wall, Beth took a moment to collect herself. Breathing in deeply, she held onto her crossbow as if it were her lifeline. Sadly, from where she stood, her crossbow would in fact _be_ her lifeline. She had the rifle as well, but the moment she fired it, her position would be disclosed.  
  
Then a thought struck her. She snuck away from the edge of the wall and rushed back to the ladder she had passed by. She placed her foot on one of the steps, testing her weight on the rusted metal. Satisfied that it seemed sturdy enough, she grabbed the railing with her free hand and awkwardly climbed up. The ladder creaked and moaned under the stress she applied with each step, but Beth didn't stop. She kept climbing until she reached high enough to peer over the top of the third story roof.  
  
The roof was vacant, but Beth soon understood why. The concrete was cracked and crumbling. Holes big enough for her to fall through were scattered across the surface. Beth let out an exasperated sigh. As if their situation weren't difficult enough, she now had to navigate a minefield.  
  
Easing her way onto the roof, Beth gently placed her feet onto the concrete. Slowly standing, she applied pressure to the rooftop, and tiptoed around any cracks she saw. Ambling carefully to the edge, she could see three men hunkered down behind the building's air conditioning unit. Her eyes continued scanning until she found Daryl.  
  
She couldn't make out his exact condition in the dark, but he didn't look healthy. He was sitting on the ground, slouched against a ventilation duct with his crossbow on the ground and gun in hand, but he wasn't making much effort to move. Beth immediately knew something was wrong. Quickly looking over the roof once more, she drew her crossbow, took a deep breath, and impaled the man farthest from her straight through the head.  
  
Any concerns of killing a human being were forgotten the moment she saw Daryl. He could be bleeding out, dying, and she needed to get to him quickly. It was only when the men began shouting about Beth's bolt sticking out of their friends skull did she see Daryl react. Beth didn't  
have time to see if he would notice her. She ducked back away from the ledge, reloaded her crossbow, and took aim at whichever man made an easier target. The both of them were rushing over towards their dead comrade. She didn't have a clear shot.  
  
She risked a glance at Daryl, finding him moving, favoring his left side. He was looking for her and she knew he would eventually locate her, the fact that he hadn't already confirmed he wasn't in the best shape, thus she turned her attention back to her two targets. They too were searching the rooftops with their eyes. When her eyes locked with one of the gunmen, Beth fired her last bolt, and bullets soon followed.  
  
She threw herself against the concrete roof, the shots fired at her imbedding into the lip of the brick building. She then crawled away from the edge, knowing she had lost the advantage of being a story above them, and eased herself far enough away to get on her hands and knees. Her crossbow scraped against the roof and she cursed at the noise. The bullets behind her had finally stopped taking chunks out of the brick building, but she had never heard a second set of shots fired. She could only assume that meant that Daryl was out of ammo. Had she been given the chance, she would have thrown him one of the spare clips she had taken, but she couldn't guarantee she would have thrown it far enough to reach him or that he would have been able to get to it if she had.  
  
When she felt a safe distance away from the edge she stood and carefully hopped over the holes in the roof back to the ladder. She didn't bother checking to make sure the area was clear before she began descending the ladder. She knew it would only be a matter of time before the shooter appeared from around the corner and she needed to be on the ground when that happened.  
  
Once her feet hit the ground she pulled her gun and focused on the corner in front of her. She waited. She knew she needed to be moving forward, moving to Daryl, but she knew the moment she started the man would appear and catch her of off-guard. She could do nothing for Daryl if she got herself shot or killed.  
  
Sweat trickled down her brow and into her eye. She blinked several times, but refused to remove her hands from the gun. Her racing heart thrummed in her ears and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She could hear shuffling in front of her and pressed the gun harder to her shoulder. She focused down the sights of the gun, clenching her finger tighter around the trigger.  
  
She was beginning to pull the trigger when a familiar figure rounded the corner. He was drenched in sweat and there was blood covering his left pant leg just above his knee; saturating the material all the way to his boot. He stopped when he saw her and Beth realized his pant leg wasn't the only thing covered in blood. Specks of it dotted his face and various areas of his flannel shirt were adorned with fresh blood.  
  
Beth dropped her gun, looped her crossbow around to her back, and ran to him. The relief she felt seeing him now was so overwhelming that if she had had the energy to cry, she might have. She threw her arms around his neck, her chest heaving in dry sobs, and took comfort in the sound of his heartbeat. Where he would have normally tensed at her physical contact, he was lax, a testament to how tired he truly must have been.  
  
"I told you I'd find ya'," Beth whispered into his neck.  
  
She felt a light pressure on her lower back and smiled. It wasn't a grand gesture, but Daryl was finally returning an embrace. She didn't push the limits, pulling back after a few moments, and squatted down to look at his leg.  
  
"Through and through?" Beth asked as she scrutinized the small hole in his pants over the wound.  
  
"Yeah," Daryl grunted.  
  
Ripping off the already loose material that hung from the hem of her shirt, Beth tied it around his thigh, applying pressure to the wound. She stood, wiping her hands on her shirt to remove the fresh blood from her hands, and turned back to pick up her gun.  
  
"You think you can walk on your own?" Beth inquired over her shoulder.  
  
Daryl didn't dignify her question with a response and instead limped toward her.  
  
"Yeah. That's not gonna' work," Beth sighed at his stubbornness.  
  
Adjusting her crossbow so that it wouldn't catch on his, she situated herself under his left side and looped his arm around her shoulder. Daryl didn't put up a fight and instead leaned his weight against her.  
  
"We should catch up with the others. I've got a few clips of ammo left," Beth stated as they slowly walked to the building's fire escape.  
  
"Sounds like things have quieted down some," Daryl acknowledged from the lack of gunfire in the background.  
  
"They're all fine. They must have taken care of everythin' already. Gotten' things sorted out," Beth tried to cover for the anxiety she felt.  
  
Daryl didn't immediately reply. Beth focused on helping him down the steps, ignoring his curse words, and stabilizing his left side as much as she could. When they finally reached the ground he pulled his arm away from her, shifting his weapons around to his front, and leaned against the wall.  
  
"Beth," Daryl got her attention, "If things ain't right. If it's just me an' you again…"  
  
"They're going to be _fine_ Daryl," Beth didn't let him finish. She refused to think of any alternate explanations as to why things had settled down.  
  
Daryl stared at her and dropped his gaze to his feet. She knew he was right and she knew that he was aware as well, but she had just gotten Maggie back. She couldn't allow herself to think that all of this was for naught.  
  
She heard him moving beside her and looked to make sure he wasn't trying to walk. He was pulling two bolts from his crossbow's quiver and she recognized the neon orange fletching.  
  
"Here," Daryl extended his hand toward her.  
  
Beth took her bolts from his grasp and went about nocking her crossbow. She saw that Daryl had none left for his crossbow and gave one of her bolts back.  
  
"In case you need one," she said flicking her wrist towards him a few times.  
  
Daryl nodded his head once and took the ammunition she offered.  
  
"If…" she began, causing him to look up at her, "If things aren't right. If it's just you and me. We go straight to the Blazer and meet back up with Carol and everyone else there."  
  
The look in Daryl's eyes expressed the understanding that he had tried to get across to her earlier. She didn't want to believe that things could have gone wrong, but she wasn't disillusioned to the reality of their world. They had seen so many of their friends die at the hands of men and walkers alike.  
  
Their goal had been accomplished. They had freed the people held captive in the boxcars. Their secondary objective had been to take Terminus down, to keep them from doing these heinous crimes to other human beings, and she just prayed that even though she and Daryl hadn't been able to provide them with the cover they had needed they had at least kept the gunmen on the roofs from adding to the gunfire.  
  
"Let's go find 'em," Daryl finally spoke up.  
  
Beth smiled at his attempt at optimism, and reclaimed her place under his left side.  
  
…  
  
"Alright. This is what we're going to do," a familiar voice filled Beth's ears.  
  
She looked up at Daryl with a smile so big that her cheeks hurt. He in turn gave her a half smile and Beth's smile widened even further. They came out of the alleyway, into the courtyard, to see a large group of men and women on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs. They were surrounded by a few familiar faces, but the majority of people pointing a gun were strangers. Beth assumed them to be the once captives of Terminus. She smirked at the irony of the situation. They froze when several guns pointed their direction and it was Abraham that came to their defense.  
  
"Whoa now! These guys are with us," he moved between the pointed weapons and the two of them.  
  
The guns immediately fell back to the tied Terminus residents. Beth let out a sigh of relief and felt the hold around her shoulders loosen. She hadn't even realized Daryl had pulled her closer until he had relaxed his grip.  
  
"You guys alright? Thought for sure you'd been offed when we lost cover from the roof," Abraham's brash comment came as no surprise. Beth had already pegged him for the blunt, straightforward type.  
  
"We ran inta' some trouble," Daryl replied flatly.  
  
"You guys alright?" Rick approached from behind Abraham.  
  
"For tha' most part," Daryl reached out and accepted Ricks hand, clasping around his forearm and holding firmly.  
  
"Bob's in that building over there," Rick gestured, "Had a few residents kind enough to show us where they kept their medical supplies. Go get yer'self patched up."  
  
"Hey Rick," Beth stopped him, "There's a woman on the roof."  
  
Rick's eyes followed the direction Beth pointed, "Alright. I'll send someone up to get her. You get him taken care of."  
  
Beth glanced up at Daryl, knowing he wasn't too fond of their resident medic, but to her relief he nodded and began moving in the direction Rick had indicated.  
  
He was slowing down and looked paler than usual. Beth felt him putting more weight on her than he had before. As soon as they reached the building she helped him sit on one of the cots in the room. Bob, with Maggie close behind, came over to them as soon as they recognized them.  
  
"What happened?" Bob bent down to look at Daryl's leg.  
  
Daryl made a move to stand and Beth put her hand on his shoulder, "He got shot."  
  
"It's a through and through. Doesn't look like it hit anything inside. How long ago were you shot?" Bob asked in an all-business tone.  
  
"Couple'ah hours maybe?" Daryl replied.  
  
Beth wasn't sure how long they had been on the roofs. She knew it had seemed like a blur, but she had no realistic concept for a timeline.  
  
"It's drained quite a bit, but he'll need stitches on the exit wound. We can just bandage the back of his leg. Let me get the stuff," Bob finished.  
  
"Hell if you do," Daryl hissed.  
  
"Look man. I know you and I aren't on the greatest of terms, but you've gotta' get that sewn up," Bob tried to persuade Daryl.  
  
"I don't need no stitches. Just bring me some bandages," Daryl argued.  
  
"Beth," Bob turned to her, "His wounds have to be closed to prevent infection. He won't listen to me."  
  
Beth looked down to Daryl who was glaring up at her, daring her to try and get him to trust Bob, and she sighed, "Bob get the stuff-"  
  
"He ain't stitchin' me up," Daryl snarled.  
  
" _I'll do it_ ," Beth continued, ignoring Daryl's interruption.  
  
"You can't just stitch someone up Beth," Bob began.  
  
"She can," Maggie announced, "Beth's helped daddy mend animals on the farm plenty of times. She can do it."  
  
With Maggie's declaration, Bob didn't bother pushing the issue and left them to get the materials she would need. He returned a moment later and Beth got straight to work. She first removed her makeshift bandage that had once been a part of her shirt. She then cut a hole in both sides of his jeans where the bullet had entered and exited, having to bend awkwardly to get the backside. She then sterilized his wounds with alcohol, forcing a steady stream of curses from Daryl's lips, and placed a clean bandage over the back of his leg. She then cleaned the needle and hesitated.  
  
"This is gonna' hurt," Beth looked up at him apologetically, "There's nothin' to numb the pain."  
  
"Jus' get on with it," Daryl grit out.  
  
"Alright," Beth gave him a weak smile, "Lay on your back."  
  
Daryl followed her request and laid down on the cot. She looked around for anything he could bite down on and Bob, seemingly reading her mind, handed her a wad of gauze.  
  
"Best I could find," Bob explained.  
  
"It'll have to do," Beth acknowledged, "Daryl. Bite down on this."  
  
He took the gauze from her, but didn't place it between his teeth. Shaking her head at his obstinacy, she sat on her knees and inserted the needed into his skin. She met with resistance and had to force the needle through, the coarse string following behind, and Daryl groaned. She found purchase on the other side of the wound and pulled the skin together with her fingers. Daryl's next sound was muffled by the gauze in his mouth.  
  
She worked quickly placing three neat stitches in his skin and effectively closing the wound. She glanced up at him and saw that he was sweating, chest heaving, and his forearm covered his eyes.  
  
"All done," Beth said gently.  
  
Daryl removed his arm and mumbled, "Thanks."  
  
With Daryl taken care of, Beth's mind immediately jumped to Judith and the group waiting for them back at the Blazer.  
  
"We need to let Carol and everyone know we're okay," Beth said aloud.  
  
"Rick and everyone else are taking care of the Terminus residents and I've got a lot of people here that need taking care of," Bob replied.  
  
"I'll go," Beth volunteered.  
  
"The hell you will," Daryl tried to sit up.  
  
"I'll be fine," Beth pressed him back down on the cot.  
  
"She's right. They'd be safer here than they are in that Blazer," Maggie agreed, "I'll go with you."  
Beth turned and smiled to her sister, immensely grateful that she understood and shared Beth's concerns, "Okay. We need to go now. The sun should be up soon."  
  
Maggie nodded, leaving to gather her things.  
  
Beth looked back down to Daryl who held a scowl, "We'll be gone and back before you know it."  
  
"You watch yourselves," Daryl's glare remained.  
  
"I've had a good teacher. I made it an entire winter on my own, remember?" Beth asked with a smile, trying to ease his anxiety.  
  
Daryl exhaled through his nose and reached for his discarded crossbow, "Take your other bolt. In case you need it."  
  
She smiled at his quoting of her words to him and took the bolt from his quiver. She could see that Maggie was finishing up and would be ready to go any second. She bit the inside of her cheek. She felt like she needed to _do_ something. She wasn't sure what, and the air between them wasn't clear, so she did the only thing that felt natural.  
  
Bending down, she brushed some of his bangs away from his forehead, and pressed her lips softly to his skin. When she pulled back, Daryl's eyes were closed, and her hand lingered. Wiping some of the blood from his face, her eyes admired his features until they met sharp blue.  
  
"You get some rest," she said softly.  
  
Daryl didn't reply. He continued to stare at her with a look that Beth wasn't sure she understood and she gave him another weak smile.  
  
"You ready?" Maggie asked as she approached.  
  
Beth kept her gaze on Daryl a moment longer before standing and answering her sister, "Yeah. Let's go."  
  
As she began following Maggie out of the room, she heard Daryl call to her.  
  
"You'd better be back before sundown or I'm comin' to get ya'."  
  
Beth smiled a true smile, nodded her head, and followed after Maggie. While she knew Daryl's threat was real, she couldn't help but be amused by the idea of him hobbling down the miles of road they had to travel to reach everyone waiting for them.  
 _  
Daryl...wait for me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the battle for Terminus has finally come to an end! Details of what happened will be revealed in later chapters, but Daryl and Beth both survived! Give me some feedback! XOXO


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
Thank you** Nicole137137 for catching the mistakes I missed! : )  
  
...  
  
Beth and Maggie had been traveling at a quick pace. It had taken quite a bit of persuasion, but the duo had managed to convince Glenn that Rick needed him far more than they would. It was only the trip _to_ the Blazer that they would be alone. Once they reached the vehicle they would be reunited with the rest of the group. Rosita had the semi-automatic rifle that Abraham had given her; Carol had her revolver, not to mention the handgun and rifle Maggie brought along with Beth's weapons.  
  
"So…" Maggie interrupted Beth's thoughts.  
  
"Yeah?" Beth asked.  
  
"What happened to you guys on the roof?" Maggie inquired, turning her head to look at Beth.  
  
Beth glanced at her, swallowing hard, as she came up with the vaguest explanation possible that would satisfy her sister, "We were ambushed. Daryl managed to attract most of the attention. I took care'ah the ones that stayed by me and helped Daryl clear out the guys still standin' when I caught up with him."  
  
"You two got separated?" Maggie's expression was one of disbelief.  
  
"Yeah. His plan worked too. Only a few stayed behind where I was. The majority chased after him," Beth clarified.  
  
"Well I'm glad you took care of each other. If somethin' had happened to you…" Maggie's voice trailed off.  
  
"Daryl got shot," Beth reminded her sister.  
  
There was a brief pause before the ground drew Maggie's attention.  
  
"I know," her sister's voice apologetic, "But Daryl's not one to let a bullet to tha' leg slow him down though. He'll be right as rain in a few days' time."  
  
Beth knew that not long after she and Daryl reunited with Rick and everyone else, they had caught up with Michonne, Glenn, and Maggie. Daryl had spotted them first, hidden in the shadows a few feet from the boxcars, and had motioned to Beth. She in turn signaled to the group below, dropping a few shells, causing them to stop and look up at her. She whispered down that they had reached their destination and caught up with Maggie and the others. Rick requested Daryl and Beth provide cover on the roof. The moment the group on the ground advanced to the rail cars and began busting the locks, all hell broke loose. She and Daryl had begun firing, but were ambushed themselves just a few moments later.  
  
Dwelling on her thoughts and deciding to change the subject, Beth asked, "What exactly happened after we were rushed on the roof?"  
  
"We managed t'get some of the locks off," Maggie started.  
  
When she didn't immediately continue, Beth glanced at her.  
  
"Beth…the people inside there…" Her sister took on a forlorn expression.  
  
"It's okay. You don't have t'say," Beth understood without having to hear the words how poor some of the captives health must have been.  
  
"We had a hard time getting' the locks off the boxcar that was stacked on top," Maggie continued, "Abraham ended up yellin' for everyone to get to the back of the car and started shootin'. After that, the people healthy enough began pourin' out of the rail cars and Michonne escorted everyone back to the armory."  
  
Beth nodded. That would explain where some of the extra muscle that she and Daryl had met came from.  
  
"Then it was just a matter ah' time before we dwindled their numbers down," Maggie finished.  
  
Beth had seen Rick, Abraham, and Glenn keeping the Terminus residents detained. Bob and Maggie had been in the clinic tending to the wounded. That left Tyreese, Sasha, Michonne, and Carl still unaccounted for.  
  
"I didn't see Tyreese or Sasha?" Beth inquired.  
  
"They went back for the sick and elderly who weren't able to get out after we got the locks off," Maggie explained, "I have no idea how many people died in tha' crossfire."  
  
Beth couldn't think about death right now. Death lead to the thought of someone being killed and that in turn took her thoughts to the acts she had committed in the last twenty-four hours.  
  
"Carl and Michonne?" Beth forced herself to ask.  
  
"Michonne got shot," Maggie stated.  
  
Beth's head whipped around to her sister.  
  
"She's fine," Maggie immediately amended, "She got caught in the arm. Bob had her wound cleaned and wrapped in no time. Then her an' Carl went with a group of people to search through Terminus and gather supplies.  
  
Beth's face must have betrayed her thoughts because Maggie gave her a questioning look.  
  
"We don't know any of these people. It's not safe to trust them to help us," Beth murmured.  
Maggie looked perplexed. She didn't say anything, but Beth knew that look. She was trying to figure something out and couldn't quite put her finger on it.  
  
"What?" Beth huffed.  
  
"Just trying to figure out where my naïve little sister went. I knew you'd changed, I've said as much, but I'm jus' not used to hearing things like that comin' from you," Maggie answered.  
  
"I told you. I had to change," Beth sighed.  
  
"We ever gonna' talk about what happened? When you were alone?" Maggie broached her cautiously.  
  
Beth scanned their surroundings. She was paying attention to what Maggie was saying, but she also made sure not to get too caught up in the conversation like last time. She had chastised herself and Daryl had given her enough hell about it that the combination would ensure she _never_ made that mistake again.  
  
"Beth?" Her sister prodded.  
  
She wasn't sure how to answer Maggie. There were things that she had had to do in order to survive that she didn't want to relive. She didn't want to share her experience with anyone. She didn't want anyone to know so they could keep thinking of her as the innocent person she no longer was. She didn't want anyone to think differently of her. It may have been a stupid notion, but she almost relished in the idea that she could still be 'Beth from the prison.'  
  
"Maybe someday Maggie," she finally replied.  
  
Beth could feel the tension between them. Maggie wanted to pry. She wanted to interrogate her and ask a million questions like she had when Beth was in high school, but life was different now. With the utter lack of privacy, as safety in numbers took priority, the only solitude a person was left with was in their thoughts.  
  
"That bad huh?" Maggie settled for asking, looking at her sister with concern.  
  
"Yeah…it was," Beth answered vaguely.  
  
The conversation came to an end and she walked in semi-comfortable silence for a while. Beth mulled over her memories of last winter. The nights she'd spent tied to the trunk of a tree, hiding up in the branches off of the ground, because there was no safe place to sleep. The times she'd had to go days without food because she wasn't able to properly set a trap. The times she'd had to hide and watch a larger gang slaughter innocent groups for their possessions. All anyone was doing was trying to survive.  
  
The Theory of Natural Selection at its finest.  
  
…  
  
Her eyes scanned the trees. They had been walking for several hours, catching up on this and that, but the farther down the tracks they traveled the more Beth felt on edge. Maggie seemed to be oblivious or was much better at hiding her tension. They hadn't come across any walker's yet and Beth wasn't sure what exactly she was expecting, but she sure wasn't anticipating an easy trip.  
  
"So..." Maggie once again broke Beth's train of thought.  
  
"Hmm?" Beth hummed.  
  
"You and Daryl got out together," Maggie said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yeah. It was just me and him for a while," Beth replied smoothly.  
  
"You two seem close," Maggie acknowledge.  
  
"I've gotten pretty good at readin' him," Beth agreed.  
  
"He teach you how to use that?" Maggie pointed to the crossbow strapped to her back.  
  
"Uh huh. I wanted to learn how to track, hunt, and get better at defending myself. He taught me the basics before we got separated. I just took everything he taught me and got better through learnin' from my mistakes," Beth explained thoughtfully.  
  
"Daryl's a good man," Maggie announced.  
  
Beth looked over at her sister, not sure of the reason for Maggie's sudden declaration. Maggie met her gaze with a smile and Beth felt the corner of her lips creeping upward.  
  
"He is," Beth concurred.  
  
"Who'da thought?" Maggie teased.  
  
Beth laughed, "He's definitely changed a lot, but I think tha' goodness was always there. He just didn't know it."  
  
"Daddy respected him. He's partly responsible for the reason you're still here. That's enough for me," Maggie's statement struck a chord with Beth.  
  
Daryl had become a very important person to Beth. It didn't _really_ make any difference what Maggie thought, but hearing her speak so highly of Daryl made Beth feel a sense of pride. She was the type that looked for the good in everyone, Maggie had always been more leery of people, so for Maggie to compliment Daryl the way she had meant a lot to Beth.  
  
"I'm glad you found Glenn," Beth reciprocated the direction of Maggie's conversation.  
  
She had meant it in both the literal and metaphoric way. She was glad Maggie had found someone who made her so happy, that balanced her temper with rationalization, but also that they had been able to find each other after the prison fell. It would have been so easy to assume that one or the other were dead, but neither one of them had stopped looking. They wouldn't have stopped looking until they had proof in the form of a walking corpse that the other was no longer among them.  
  
"Is it ironic that I found my happiness in an apocalypse?" Maggie snickered.  
  
Beth giggled, "Daddy always said God worked in mysterious ways."  
  
"Daddy said a lot of things," Maggie's features took on a far off look.  
  
"Daddy was a great man," Beth said softly.  
  
"The best," Maggie agreed.  
  
…  
  
They were still a good half a mile away when the first gunshots rang through the air. Beth's breath caught in her throat and she turned her gaze to Maggie, whose wild expression mirrored her own. Maggie's eyes narrowed and Beth nodded her head. Without saying a word the two began running in the direction of the vehicle.  
  
A million thoughts ran through Beth's head. She knew the shots came from the Blazer. They were too close to their destination for it to be anyone else and that fact made Beth push herself to run faster. If they were firing, it would attract walkers, and if it was walkers they were already dealing with then it would only bring _more_ of the undead to their vicinity. There was also the chance that it _wasn't_ walkers causing whoever it was to resort to using their gun. That thought scared Beth even more.  
  
"What do ya' think it is?" Maggie said between breaths.  
  
"I dunno' know. Could be walkers. Could be raiders. Whatever it is, it's bad," Beth raised her voice to speak over the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.  
  
She could see the Blazer in the distance. The distance between them seemed to keep getting farther away the faster she tried to run. She could make out dozens of bodies around the vehicle and was almost certain of what she was seeing.  
  
"Beth," Maggie's voice sounded distressed.  
  
"I see," Beth's voice wasn't much different, "I have to nock my crossbow."  
  
Beth abruptly stopped, slinging her weapons off her shoulder. Maggie stopped a few paces ahead and waited for her. She nocked her crossbow as quickly as possible, threw her rifle back over her shoulder, and began running once more.  
  
The closer they came to the Blazer, the more walkers Beth could see. It was a smaller group than they'd come across before, but it was a herd nonetheless. There was a figure standing on top of the vehicle, shooting down walkers, but more took their place.  
  
"It's Rosita," Maggie too had seen the person atop of the Blazer.  
  
Beth didn't bother responding. She ran to the closest walker to her and swung the stock of her crossbow as hard as she could, effectively bashing in the back of the walker's head. She was careful to keep her distance from the vehicle. She couldn't help them if she got surrounded and needed help herself.  
  
"There's too many," Beth said under her breath.  
  
She swung her crossbow again, knocking another walker back, and repeated the action to kill the undead abomination. More walkers were abandoning their mission and instead coming for the easier meal; Maggie and Beth.  
  
Beth lurched when she heard Rosita scream her sister's name. Maggie was oblivious to the walker approaching her from behind, within arm's reach of grabbing her, and Beth reacted on instinct. She pulled up her crossbow and fired a bolt through the creatures head. When the walker dropped, removing the barrier it created between her and her sister, Beth was given a clear view of Maggie's awestruck gaze.  
  
Beth could have laughed if it weren't for the bloodthirsty monsters surrounding them. It was a bit of a boost to her ego that her sister was shocked by her marksmanship. She didn't carry the weapon around for its ornamental value. Then again, she realized that this was the first time Maggie had ever seen her actually _use_ her crossbow.  
  
Snapping out of her reverie, Beth pulled out her knife and slung the crossbow back over her shoulder. She had one bolt left and no time to nock it. Rosita continued to shoot down the walker's that were getting too close to the windows, but she would soon run out of ammo. She and Maggie had their guns, but the more shots they fired, the more walkers they attracted. While a majority had turned in their direction, several more still attacked the Blazer.  
  
Beth felt utterly helpless. Her Judith, Carol, a man Abraham was risking his life for, the woman protecting him, and the younger woman who had helped reunite Glenn and Maggie were all trapped within the small confines of a metal frame. If they didn't do something drastic, the walkers were going to get to them and there would be nothing Beth could do about it.  
  
Beth stabbed another walker in the head, holding firm to the handle of her blade, and placing her boot squarely in its chest to shove it off. Panic began seeping in as her eyes darted every which way in the hopes that she could come up with a plan. She just felt like screaming. So she did. Beth began screaming and yelling. Doing everything she could to get the walker's attention.  
  
" _Beth_!" Maggie hissed between screams, "What in tha' _hell_ are you doin'?"  
  
"We've got to draw them away from the vehicle," Beth yelled to her.  
Beth could see the wheels turning in Maggie's head.  
  
"Look," Beth pointed to the vehicle, "Rosita shot out the windshield. That's how she was able to get on top of the Blazer. If we can give them enough time to get out, you can get them back."  
  
"Okay we can…wait," Maggie backtracked while pulling her knife from a walker's eye socket,  
  
"What do you mean _I can get them back_."  
  
"Someone has to keep them occupied," Beth answered, narrowly avoiding a walker's grasp.  
  
"No! No way!" Maggie vehemently denied, "We're all going back to Terminus. _Together_."  
  
"Look around us Maggie!" Beth yelled, thrusting her blade upward through the underside of a walker's jaw and into its brain, "We don't have any other options."  
  
"You take them back. I'll distract the herd," Maggie suggested, kicking a walker back that had gotten too close.  
  
"We both know that if I came back without you, Glenn would come out here looking for you. Probably get himself killed in the process," Beth argued, ripping the hem of her shirt further as she pulled away from a walker, "And I will come back. Just after you guys get away and the herd moves on."  
  
"Beth-" Maggie began again.  
  
"I survived. I'm a survivor too Maggie. I'll make it back. You just have to have a little faith," Beth repeated their father's words.  
  
Maggie looked to Beth. She knew it was a low blow to bring a phrase their father had told them since childhood, but they didn't have time to argue. Beth had found herself in a similar situation many a time when she was on her own.  
  
Maggie pulled an extra clip from her pocket and tossed it to Beth, "I don't like this, but I trust you."  
Beth caught the clip and smiled. More walkers were closing in on them, but they had a plan now. She didn't feel the same desperation she had a moment ago. Her only concern was to attract as many walkers as she could so she put the clip in her back pocket, already having a clip tucked inside the other, and brought up her rifle.  
  
"Go off into the woods and loop around behind the vehicle," Beth directed, "I'll stay here and draw them to me. When I see you start getting everyone out, I'll lead them into the woods. It'll be easier for me to lose them there."  
  
"Okay," Maggie exhaled, "Be careful Bethy. I know I didn't do right by you last time we were separated, but I'm gonna' come lookin' for you this time. I swear it."  
  
"Get them back safely Maggie. I'll see you in a bit," Beth reached over and grabbed the hand her sister had extended to her. She gently squeezed twice, code for _I love you_ , and then let go and began taking down the walkers closest to them.  
  
The moment Maggie yelled to Rosita what their plan was before taking off into the woods, Beth's sole focus became luring the walkers away. She burned through two clips before she was close enough to the vehicle to get the corpses attention. One by one they turned away from the Blazer and started in her direction. Maggie came up from behind the vehicle and took out the few remaining and then jumped up on the hood of the vehicle and started getting everyone out.  
  
The look Carol sent Beth was filled with understanding and maybe even a hint of respect. Tara was yelling that they needed to help her, Eugene stood next to the distraught woman counting the walkers, and Rosita looked to Maggie. Beth's gazed drifted to Judith resting against Carol's hip and Beth felt a burden lift from her shoulders. Even if she didn't make it back to Terminus, if she died out in the woods and fell prey to the hands of the walkers, the smile on Judith's face was enough. She had kept her promise.  
  
She had absolutely no intention of dying, for she had also given her word to Daryl that she would be back, but seeing everyone safely climbing down from the hood of the Blazer as she led the walkers into the woods was all that mattered. Once they were passed the herd, she would switch her gears into survival mode.  
  
She had at least twenty walkers following her. They had taken out several dozen already. While the odds weren't in her favor, she knew she could lose them in the woods. They were aware of her presence, but if she could put enough space between her and them, she could climb a tree and wait them out. She'd done it before. The only problem would be if they caught whiff of her and huddled around the base of the tree. That had happened several times too.  
  
She was careful as she jogged backwards, making sure she didn't trip over any roots or tree stumps that could lead to an untimely demise, watching as everyone became smaller and smaller in the distance. As soon as she lost sight of Maggie and the rest of the group, she turned and began running.  
  
She was on her own and that was okay. She would make it back before sundown. She had another promise to keep.  
  
…  
  
The sun, which had been high over their head when they had reached the Blazer, now exhibited a rusted-orange color. Her body, sore and fatigued from going on twenty-four hours with no sleep, was beginning to shut down on her.  
  
She hadn't been able to lose all of the walkers in the woods like she had planned. Several continued to stagger behind her no matter how many turns she made and she knew that at the pace she was going, she wasn't going to be able to keep running forever. She had one clip left, which he was saving for an emergency situation, and one bolt; her second still protruding from the back of the walker's head that had been gunning for Maggie.  
  
Struggling to nock her crossbow, her muscles fighting to muster any strength, she loaded the bolt and took aim. The bolt landed cleanly into a walker's forehead and Beth dropped the weapon in favor of pulling her knife. Three walkers remained, each within a few feet of the other. She had to work quickly to finish them off or she risked her body giving out on her.  
  
She rushed the first walker, stabbing it through the temple, and pulling out the blade with relative ease. She then turned to the second walker, and maneuvered away from its reach, and repeated the action. This time, however, the handle followed the blade into the walker's head and stopped where Beth's hand held the weapon.  
  
"Not again," she moaned.  
  
Not wasting any more time trying to pry the blade free, Beth stepped away from the twice dead body, and rounded on the last walker. She still had her gun strapped to her back, but didn't want to risk firing and attracting more walkers. Bringing the weapon in front of her, she yanked the strap free of her person, and quickly ran through her options. The gun felt heavier than it should and Beth knew she was working on borrowed time.  
  
Narrowing her eyes, she held the gun firmly, and aimed for the walker's eye. Plunging the barrel forward as if it were a bayonet, Beth removed a mass of rotting flesh from the side of the walker's face, missing its eye socket. Unfazed, the walker kept approaching, and Beth stumbled right into its chest from the momentum of her swing.  
  
Death filled her nostril and caused her eyes to water. She gagged at the putrid smell and the only thing keeping the walker from taking a chunk out of her was the gun shoved in its face. Trying to break free of its grasp was impossible in her current state. Its hands held her shoulder firmly, digging into the fabric that covered her, and it craned its neck unnaturally in an attempt to devour her.  
  
"You…are _not_ …" She took a few steps forward, "going to…make me a liar!"  
  
Beth shoved the walker backwards, causing the creature to trip over the body of the second walker she had killed. As soon as it fell to the ground, Beth stood over top of it and began pounding the stock of her gun mercilessly into its face. Blood and brain matter splattered onto her with every thrust, but she didn't stop. She was angry, she was drained, and she just wanted to lie down and sleep.  
  
Tears blurred her vision as her frustration got the best of her. Quiet sobs escaped her lips and she collapsed onto her knees, unable to hold herself up any longer. She leaned on her gun and let herself cry for the first time since her breakdown at the golf club. She hated the world, hated what she had had to do, hated that people could be so evil, and hated that she felt so much hatred.  
  
Tears spilled down her cheeks, dripped from her chin, and dotted her tattered shirt. She grieved over the lives she had taken. No matter how many times she told herself it was necessary, it didn't ease the guilt. She had so many pent up emotions flowing through her, kept in place by willpower alone, but she was too tired to hold them back any longer. She was alone, she was exhausted, and this was probably the most privacy she would ever get.  
  
After several minutes, her tears dried, leaving only the shuttering breaths that followed. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and sniffled. Taking several calming breaths, she used her gun as a sort of cane and forced herself to stand. She still had several miles to cover and the sun was getting dangerously close to setting.  
  
She staggered over and after several tugs, was able to free her knife from the walker's dead grasp. She then collected her crossbow and bolt, nocking the weapon and keeping it in front of her, and began the long trek back to Terminus.  
  
…  
  
She kept a slow, steady stride; not having the energy to cover the distance at any other pace. The sun was more than halfway below the horizon and while Beth would usually find the twilight breathtaking, it only made her anxious.  
  
She was in familiar territory, recognizing that she was almost to the place where Rick had suggested they cut through the woods on their first visit to Terminus, and she pushed herself to keep moving. Her body ached and every step she took felt like she was pulling a thousand pounds behind her.  
  
When the chain link fence came into view, Beth felt her apprehension rise. She had left Terminus the moment things were beginning to settle down, but she had no idea what to expect upon her return. She knew that everyone she cared about was inside those brick walls and she wasn't sure she could endure losing everyone again if things had taken a turn for the worse while she had been away.  
  
Opening the first gate and shutting it behind her and re-securing the chain, Beth understood what Glenn meant by how open the entrance was. She and Maggie had exited through this exact gate, but she had been so focused on getting to the Blazer that she hadn't paid much mind to the space between the fence and the doorway.  
  
Reaching the second gate, she rested her forehead against the cool metal. Taking a deep breath she pushed the gate open. With her crossbow raised, she cautiously walked around the corner of the building into the courtyard. It was empty now, save a few people bustling around, and Beth wasn't sure what to think.  
  
"Beth?" A voice called out to her.  
  
She looked to see Michonne approaching her. She didn't have the energy to answer. She was too ridiculously exhausted. Instead all she managed was a small smile and formed a single thought.  
 _  
Daryl is going to be so pissed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who didn't catch my reference, the Theory of Natural Selection was devised by Charles Darwin. The phrase "survival of the fittest" stems from this theory.
> 
> Some good sister bonding time! This chapter was fun to write! Let me know what you guys think! XOXO


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
Thank you** Nicole137137 for taking time out of your day to do last minute edits!! She's going to read over it again when she gets home just in case she missed any edits!  
  
 **A/N:** Sorry for the day late update!! I wasn't able to get the chapter finished this past week, but I'm pretty sure I'll be forgiven after you read the chapter! Hope it was worth the wait!! : )

I HAVE FANART!!! Thank you Spaceshipdear!! Art can be found at: http://spaceshipdear.tumblr.com/post/89655334321/for-the-one-you-change-youre-worth-fighting-for

  
...  
  
Beth awoke feeling disoriented. She wasn’t sure where she was and the last thing she remembered was seeing Michonne as she entered the courtyard. Now she was lying on a bed, a _real_ bed, in a room she was unfamiliar with.  
  
Groaning, she forced herself to sit up causing her head to swim. She took in her surroundings, noting the white walls around her, but there wasn’t anything that indicated exactly where she was. She let her legs slide over the edge of the bed and graze the cold, tile floor. It was then she realized she was without shoes and she had been changed; now in a clean, if not slightly baggy pair of jeans, and a button down, flannel shirt.  
  
She felt an odd sense of violation at waking up in clean clothes and having no knowledge of who had changed them for her. She had hoped it was her sister, but she wasn’t even sure if her sister had made it back to Terminus. With that thought in mind, she pushed herself to her feet and stood still as the dots in front of her eyes slowly vanished. She had no idea where to even begin looking for Maggie and the others, but she’d be damned if she just laid in bed when they could possibly need her help, assuming she wasn’t in any sort of trouble herself.  
  
She took one step away from the bed and froze when she heard the soft ‘click’ that signaled a door being opened. She glanced around her for any sort of weapon, but there was nothing; the room was completely bare save the bed she had been laying on. She held her breath, moving to dive under the bed when Carol came into view.  
  
Sighing with relief, Beth plopped back down onto the bed and braced her elbows on her knees, catching her face in her palms.  
  
“Oh good, you’re awake,” Carol moved into the room and sat on the bed next to Beth.  
  
“Everyone make it back okay?” Her voice came out raspy.  
  
“Thanks to you,” Carol smiled, patting Beth’s knee.  
  
“I was brash,” Beth sat up straight and gave her a small smile.  
  
“I’m going to have to agree with you on that. Then again, we didn’t have a whole lot of options,” Carol pressed her lips into a thin line.  
  
Beth sighed. She knew Carol was right, but that didn’t make her decision any less reckless. She glanced over at Carol, realizing she was alone.  
  
“Where’s Jude?”  
  
“She’s with Carl and Rick,” Carol replied, rubbing her hands over her knees, “Which reminds me. Rick wants to talk to you when you’re feeling up for it.”  
  
“’Kay,” Beth acknowledged absently.  
  
Beth couldn’t help feeling like Carol had more she wanted to say. She seemed on edge and Beth had somewhat of an idea where her anxiety stemmed from.  
  
“How pissed is he?” Beth didn’t feel like tiptoeing around the subject.  
  
“Well…” Carol began.  
  
Beth sighed once more.  
  
“Daryl’s not very good when it comes to expressing how he feels,” Carol disclosed.  
  
“I’m aware,” Beth sunk further into the bed.  
  
“So when he’s unable to express himself in the manner he should-”  
  
“He lashes out,” Beth finished the sentence for her.  
  
Carol smiled and Beth managed to return the gesture with a half-smile of her own.  
  
“What attracted so many of them?” Beth finally asked the question that had been on her mind since the day before.  
  
“Judith,” Carol simply replied.  
  
“Jude?” Beth wasn’t following Carol’s admission.  
  
Carol pursed her lips and nodded, “Judith got upset. She was born in the prison and there was never an issue with her crying there. When it was just Tyreese and I…and the girls…we could move on faster than they could catch us. Having to wait in that Blazer with her wasn’t something I had put much thought into.”  
  
Beth bit her lip. She too had been so preoccupied with Terminus that she hadn’t taken into account all the factors that revolved around keep a baby in one location.  
  
“We were outside and she got fussy. The stragglers from the herd must have heard her. A little while after you all left, coupla’ hours maybe, she started crying. It wasn’t long after that that the first group of walkers came out of the woods,” Carol continued, “We would have been fine, but they just kept coming out of the woodwork. We were eventually forced into the vehicle.”  
  
“We woulda’ had no idea where to look for you if you had left the Blazer,” Beth remarked, realizing why Carol hadn't just taken Judith and ran.  
  
“You and Maggie showed up. Everything turned out fine,” Carol finished.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment before another question weighed on Beth.  
  
“So umm…” she cleared her throat, “Where are we and how’d I get here?”  
  
“We’re on the second floor of the infirmary. You passed out on Michonne. Lucky she was there or you might have had a nasty gash on your head right now,” Carol informed her, “Rick came running over when Michonne yelled for help and took you straight to the clinic. Bob diagnosed you with having severe exhaustion, moderate dehydration, and said you’d need some rest. That you’d be back on your feet in no time.”  
  
Beth groaned. If Rick had taken her to the clinic that meant Daryl had seen her… _unconscious_ …and looking like hell; covered in walker blood and bits.  
  
“That was over twenty-four hours ago,” Carol added with a roguish smile.  
  
Beth fell onto her back, wishing she could just go back to sleep and avoid the impending conversation with the very angry redneck.  
  
“I don’t guess you’d have’ah rock I could climb under, do you?” Beth inquired in all seriousness.  
  
Carol laid back beside Beth and clasp her hands over her stomach. Beth waited for Carol to speak, trying to ignore how suffocating the silence had become.  
  
“You’re important to him ya’ know?” Carol told her.  
  
“He’s important to me too. We were all each other had for a long while,” Beth answered.  
  
“Hmm,” Carol hummed.  
  
Beth turned her head to look at her, “What?”  
  
Carol gave her a close-lipped smile, “Nothin’.”  
  
Beth furrowed her brows in confusion.  
  
“Just remember when you talk to him that he was worried more than he is angry,” Carol sat back up and Beth did the same.  
  
“I know,” Beth nodded her head.  
  
“Oh and just so you know,” Carol lowered her voice, “He and Maggie got into it a bit.”  
  
Beth’s face fell. Of course they would. Daryl would have blamed everything on Maggie for letting Beth go through with their plan and Maggie, being a Greene and not one to stand for people jumping her case, would have lashed right back out at Daryl.  
  
“The moment he saw that you weren’t with us and we explained what happened, it took Rick, Bob, and Glenn to keep him from leaving to go after you,” Carol revealed.  
  
Beth picked at her braid that rested on her shoulder, refusing to look Carol in the eye.  
  
“He wasn’t there Beth,” Carol gently grabbed her forearm, “He would have done the exact same thing had he been in your position. We were able to get out of that vehicle because of _you_. I agree it was a foolhardy idea, but we all made it back in one piece and that’s what matters.”  
  
Beth looked up at Carol and took a shaky breath, “Thank you.”  
  
“Anytime sweetheart,” Carol patted her arm before releasing it completely, “Now. I’ll walk you down to Rick. He can fill you in on everything.”  
  
Their conversation having come to an end, Beth followed behind Carol, through the door, down a flight of stairs, and through the hallway that branched off into the sickbay. Beth didn’t see Daryl inside when she glanced in, but she hadn’t really expected to. He was likely off somewhere stewing, keeping his hands occupied with work he shouldn’t be doing on his injured leg. She knew she’d have to talk to him eventually, but if she could push it off until she could get her thoughts in order then she’d be doing good.  
  
As they entered the courtyard, Beth spotted Rick talking with a few unfamiliar faces. Carol stopped her, gaining her attention, and imparted a few more words.  
  
“Just remember what we talked about and that Daryl was worried about you. Okay?” The older woman reiterated.  
  
“I will,” Beth answered.  
  
“Don’t avoid him too much longer,” Carol finished with a knowing smile.  
  
Beth smirked, not even bothering to deny her elder’s claim, and began in Rick’s direction.  
  
…  
  
She stood a few feet away, politely waiting for Rick to notice her. He was busy discussing issues about supplies with two men Beth had never seen before. When he had finished, he turned to leave, and spotted Beth. Approaching her, Beth wasn’t able to read his features.  
  
He was the closest thing she had to a dad now. She respected him, had become a part of his family not only because of the apocalypse, but through caring for Judith and interacting with Carl. Next to Daryl, Rick was next in line on the list of people she was anxious to talk to in regards to her ‘walker’s follow the leader’ stunt.  
  
“Hey,” she gave him a weak smile.  
  
“How’re you feelin’?” Rick asked, eyes squinting in the sun.  
  
It was early morning, but the Georgia heat wasn’t as unbearable as the norm with the changing of seasons. She was actually appreciative to whoever had decided to dress her in the long-sleeved shirt. By mid-day everyone would be taking layers off, but she would enjoy the cool breeze while it lasted.  
  
“I’m okay. Sore. A little tired. No worse for wear,” Beth replied, coining a phrase she’s heard Daryl use several times.  
  
“I’m glad to hear it,” Rick placed his hands on his hips and ducked his head to stare at the ground.  
  
He was gearing up to tell her something. She could tell by his mannerisms. When Rick was pensive, he always stood with his hands on his hips. When he was pensive, good news generally didn’t follow. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Beth refused to let her apprehension get the better of her, and forced her eyes to stay focused on Rick’s face.  
  
“You getting everythin’ sorted out with all the Terminus folks?”Beth wasn’t ready to discuss yesterday’s events yet.  
  
“Yeah. Got ‘em locked up in the box cars for the time bein’,” Rick answered her.  
  
Beth could have laughed at the irony. Then another thought struck her.  
  
“Can they…”  
  
She didn’t have to finish her sentence for Rick to understand.  
  
“No. They’re secure.”  
  
Beth let out a breath of relief.  
  
“Daryl’s on watch at the moment,” he subtly added.  
  
Beth glanced up at him and recognized Rick’s knowing expression.He had been involved in holding Daryl back from whatever outrageous idea Daryl had had when he found out Beth was playing walker bait. He knew exactly how angry Daryl was and Beth got the sense that he knew she was avoiding the angry Dixon.  
  
“So what’re we going to do about ‘em?”Beth pushed her thoughts aside.  
  
“We’re gonna’ have a meeting in the next day or so. Figure out what to do about ‘em. Can’t keep them locked up forever, but people are safer with them in there,” Rick answered.  
  
“Yeah,” Beth agreed, “Is Michonne alright? Maggie said she got shot.”  
  
“Bullet grazed her arm. It looked worse than what it was,” Rick replied.  
  
“That’s good,” Beth nodded, “And Judith?”  
  
“She’s with Carl at the moment,” Rick looked toward a building Beth wasn’t familiar with,  
“Michonne’s with ‘em. Catchin’ up on lost time.”  
  
Beth smiled, “I’m glad.”  
  
They fell silent, having no more small talk to keep what Rick really wanted to discuss with her at bay. When Rick cleared his throat, Beth took a deep breath, and prepared herself for what the once sheriff had to say.  
  
“Beth,” Rick sighed.  
  
“Yeah?” She placed her complete attention upon the man in front of her.  
  
“You’re family has done more for me and mine than I’ll ever be able t’repay. You’re dad took our group in, kept me…kept _us_ going, and I will be grateful ‘til tha’ day I die for what he did in helpin’ me bring Carl back 'round,” Beth could feel the emotion in Rick’s words and swallowed the lump building in her throat.  
  
“I’m not sayin’ I agreed with your plan,” Rick chose his words carefully, “But I whadn’t there. I know you didn’t have many options, but riskin’ yourself like that…”  
  
Beth looked at him thoughtfully. While she understood everyone’s concern, in the same regard, she also felt slightly offended. Yes, she knew it had been a stupid idea, but she was caught up on the moment with nothing to do except watch the walkers eventually get inside the vehicle. She had been stuck between a rock and a hard place and made the best decision she could.  
  
“You’re the reason my baby girl is here safe n’ sound. I’m in your debt as much as I was your dad’s. I’m not sayin’ I don’t appreciate what you did, because I do, but you barely made it back Beth,” Rick’s concern evident.  
  
“If it was Daryl, what would you say to him?” Beth kept her voice even, “Or Michonne?”  
  
Rick furrowed his eyebrows and she knew he was giving her question deep thought. It wasn’t a fair question, but she hoped that it put some perspective on the situation. She was no longer helpless.  
  
“I see your point,” Rick said, staring into the distance behind her, “I know you’re capable. It’s just that with your dad gone...”  
  
Beth felt herself tense.  
  
“I promised Hershel that if anythin’ ever happened to ‘em, I’d make sure you and Maggie were taken care of. I intend to make good on my promise,” Rick’s tone left Beth no room for argument.  
  
His gaze returned to her, “Maggie has Glenn. Daryl seems to have taken you under his wing.”  
  
“Yeah. He’s taught me some stuff,” Beth acknowledged.  
  
“You gave us a scare Beth,” Rick sighed and reached over to place a hand on her shoulder, “All of us. I’ll never be able thank you enough for what you did to make sure our people made it back here.”  
  
“I was just doin’ what needed t’be done is all,” Beth replied honestly.  
  
Rick smirked, “You even sound like ‘em.”  
  
Beth gave Rick a quizzical stare.  
  
“He should have cooled off some by now. Don’t avoid him too long,” Rick patted her shoulder, then moved away to continue on with what he had been doing before speaking with Beth.  
  
Beth wasn’t quite sure what had just transpired. Shaking her head, she headed toward the stacked boxcars, mentally preparing herself for whatever argument she and Daryl would inevitably have.  
  
…  
  
She caught sight of him, leaning against the rail car, crossbow in one hand, and holding a cigarette with the other. She wasn’t quiet in her approach, but he never acknowledged her presence as she moved to stand beside him.  
  
She leaned against the structure and picked at her nails. Daryl took another long drag of his cigarette, the exhale of smoke wafting around her, then tossed it to the ground and smothered it with the tip of his boot.  
  
Daryl not talking to her did come as a surprise. She had expected him to be angry. She hadn’t made it back before sundown like he had asked. Also add the fact that she willingly made herself walker bait, separated from the group, and made the trip back to Terminus by herself. She knew he was within his right to be upset with her.  
  
She watched him push off the boxcar and take a few uneven steps away from her. He stood there for several minutes, his crossbow brushing his pant leg, and free hand resting against his hip. She noticed he had changed pants, wearing a black pair instead of the dark brown ones she had had to cut holes in, and the wings against his back glowed in the mid-day sun.  
  
Daryl abruptly rounded on her and Beth let her hands drop to her sides. The glare he gave her sent chills across her skin. She had mentally prepared herself for this. She stood straight, keeping her hands relaxed at her sides, and met Daryl’s heated gaze.  
  
“You get dumb or somethin’?” Daryl hissed.  
  
“So you are mad,” Beth sighed.  
  
Daryl ignored her statement.  
  
“I came up with the best idea I could,” she explained.  
  
“You got some sorta’ death wish or somethin’?” he sneered.  
  
“No. I do not have a death wish Daryl,” Beth replied in an exasperated tone.  
  
“Could’a fooled me,” Daryl remarked snidely.  
  
“There were walkers everywhere, Daryl. We had to make a quick decision,” Beth explained.  
  
“So you come up with playin’ bait and goin’ at it alone?” Daryl hollered.  
  
“What was I supposed t’do?” Beth tried to keep herself calm.  
  
“Well you’re sure as hell not s’posed to go out like some dumb bitch that takes walkers for ‘ah stroll through the woods,” Daryl yelled as he threw his free hand toward the direction of the tree line.  
  
“So what should I have done then? Huh? Just let the walkers get to them? Watch them get eaten alive?” Beth’s voice rose, “ _Judith_ was in there. _Carol_. Abraham’s crew and Tara were all inside that Blazer. Trapped.”  
  
Daryl stared at her, but kept his lips sealed in a tight line.  
  
“We didn’t have any other options Daryl. They were gonna’ get in and Rosita was shootin’ her rifle; attractin’ more walkers. You weren’t there. You have _no_ idea how terrifying it was t’watch!” Beth yelled while taking a step toward him.  
  
“Yeah? Well ya’ shouldn’t ‘ah went in tha’ first place!” Daryl’s accent coming out thicker the angrier he became.  
  
“Oh no? And who else could have gone?” Beth crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.  
  
Daryl’s nostrils flared, but Beth didn’t back down. She continued advancing toward him until she was standing right in front of him.  
  
“You had been shot. Michonne and Carl were nowhere to be found. Bob had the clinic. Rick, Abraham, and Glenn had to make sure everyone from Terminus was locked up,” Beth argued,  
“What would have happened if Maggie and I hadn’t left when we did?”  
  
Beth could see the fight draining from Daryl at the truth of her words.  
  
Daryl continued to glare at her, “Shoulda’ just shot the bastards.”  
  
“And risk hitting someone inside the Blazer?” Beth countered.  
  
The muscles in Daryl’s jaw bulged from gritting his teeth. Beth knew she wasn’t helping her situation, but she wasn’t going to let him treat her like she had done something wrong.  
  
“There were _no_ _other options_ ,” Beth emphasized.  
  
“You could’a been killed,” Daryl groused.  
  
“I said I could take care of myself,” Beth recalled what Daryl had once said to her, “I did.”  
  
“Told ya’ to be back before sundown,” Daryl griped.  
  
“I got here before the sun was completely ‘down,’” Beth gave him a small smile.  
  
Daryl gave her a flat look and Beth’s smile widened.  
  
“I heard you got into it with Maggie,”  
  
“She went along with yer’ idiotic idea,” Daryl admitted.  
  
“Not really,” Beth corrected, “But like I said, we didn’t have any other options.”

They fell into a strained silence. She knew he had more he wanted to say, but they could talk in circles all day and neither would accept the other as being right. Instead she decided to move their conversations in a different direction.  
  
“You tried to leave to find me,” she reached forward to adjust his jacket, preoccupying her hands in order to keep from looking at him while she talked.  
  
“Told ya’ I would,” Daryl mumbled.  
  
“You could’a made your leg worse,” Beth sighed.  
  
“This ain’t nothin’,” Daryl grunted.  
  
“Uh huh. So why are you limping?” Beth teased.  
  
“I’on know what you’re talkin’ about,” Daryl muttered.  
  
“So stubborn,” Beth said under her breath.  
  
Daryl exhaled through his nose and Beth felt it ruffle the hair atop her head. Looking up at him she stared into his crystal blue eyes. They reminded her of days on the farm when she would lay out on her beach towel, soaking up the rays from the sun, while she stared up into the blue sky. Back when things were simple and she was carefree. A time in her life that she could say she was truly happy.  
  
Her hands gripped his vest, no longer arranging the article of clothing so much as holding onto it as a sort of anchor. Things were far from ideal, but for the moment, they had no imminent threats. She could hear muffled voices and movement from within the boxcar and it gave her an odd sense of relief. Not so long ago, she had remembered the sensation of when they had been locked up, and it had filled her with great unease.  
  
At the moment, staring into Daryl’s eyes and feeling the small bits of happiness that she had felt from _before_ , she couldn’t ignore the sensations that she had kept under layers of other priorities from taking hold. She wasn’t sure what Daryl was feeling. His face was a mask of neutrality, but she could feel how fast his heart was beating through his layers of clothes.  
  
Slowly pushing off the ground with her toes, Beth dwindled the space between them, stopping just far enough for her eyes to dance among his. She had no idea what she was doing. She wasn’t sure if any of it was okay, but it just _felt_ right. She was sure that they had been on a steady pace towards this exact moment, but she didn’t want Daryl to run from her. So she waited.  
  
His body was tense, stiff, but he made no move to push her away. After several moments of breathing the same air, Beth gently pressed her lips to his. She felt him ever so slightly lean into her, only enough to return the kiss, and Beth felt her anxiety melt away. Smiling into the kiss, she pulled back, regaining the distance she had occupied just before the kiss.  
  
It was short, chaste, but spoke volumes between them. Daryl may not have been able to express himself well verbally, but Beth had understood everything she needed to from the simple gesture.  
  
“I’m sorry for worryin’ you,” Beth said softly.  
  
“You made it back alright,” Daryl’s voice was hoarse.  
  
“Thank you for tryin’ to come after me,” she said in the same gentleness.  
  
Daryl gave a quiet grunt.  
  
“I’ll try to avoid takin’ walkers on a stroll through the woods from now on,” Beth smiled.  
  
At this, Daryl smirked, and Beth knew she was forgiven.  
  
Stepping back and letting go of his vest, Beth smoothed her hands over the soft, black material. There was no awkwardness. She felt more at peace now than she had in days. Terminus was in their control. They would decide what to do about their captives in the next day or so.  
  
She wasn’t sure what was going on between herself and Daryl, but that was okay. They could figure it out as they went. The kiss had been an accumulation of everything they had been through together. It was acceptance, friendship, trust, and acknowledgement that they were important to each other.  
  
She wasn’t going to dwell on matters. Everyone was safe. Anyone who came through their gates would be safe. Terminus was finally a sanctuary. The signs would no longer be a trap.  
 _  
Those who arrived…would survive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo.....sweet kiss scene! Daryl isn't the type that's going to jump all in right off the bat and Beth isn't that kind of girl! So while it's progression, they still have a long way to go!! Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Love hearing from my readers!! XOXO


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
Thank you** Nicole137137 for the lovely editing! You saved my tired brain on this one!

I HAVE FANART!! In case you missed my post on the last chapter, Spaceshipdear made me some awesome fanart! You can see it here: http://spaceshipdear.tumblr.com/post/89655334321/for-the-one-you-change-youre-worth-fighting-for

...

Beth awoke with a start. She found herself sitting straight up in a cot, the sheets having fallen around her waist, in the room she had taken as her own. Her hand came up to her cheeks and she felt dampness on her fingertips.  
  
For the past week she had been unable to sleep soundly. Every night she would wake from horrendous nightmares where she would relive the horrors of Terminus. She had kept her nightmare to herself, not wanting anyone to make a fuss over her when they had more important things to worry about, but she had the feeling she wasn’t the only one having bad dreams. No one looked as rested as they should; being behind the safety of Terminus’ walls. On more than one occasion, Beth had heard screaming from another room after she had awoken from her own personal darkness.  
  
Sliding out of the bed, knowing she would sleep no more, she glanced around her humble abode. The prior tenants had set up living quarters in one of the old buildings and with their small group, everyone afforded their own room.  
  
She had chosen a room at the end of the hallway, slightly obscure from the others so that the nights she kept Judith, the baby wouldn’t wake everyone with her cries. That had been her excuse anyway. Really she had just wanted privacy. She didn’t want someone coming in and checking on her any time she made a noise in the night. She needed a safe haven like she’d had in her utility closet. The tiny room hadn’t been much, but it had been enough.  
  
Shuffling across the room, she pulled off her thin night shirt, and replaced it with the thick flannel shirt she had been given when she awoke. She had suspected who the shirt had belonged to, it was a man’s sized shirt, but hadn’t voiced her thoughts. The shirt still had its sleeves, but the scent of who had been carrying it around had been very distinct. She was almost saddened when she could no longer smell pine and oil on the material.  
  
Shrugging on her brown coat, she picked up her crossbow, and then left the room. She tiptoed down the hallway, careful to keep the echo of her boots to a minimum, and eased open the door to the exit. The cool, crisp morning air felt like needles against her cheeks and she could see the exhale of her breath. Winter still lingered in the early mornings. The weather would warm soon, but the chill of the cold weather would last for several more weeks. They had more mouths to feed and the stockpiles in Terminus would only last so long. They needed to find things for Judith as well. She was finally at the age that they could supplement baby food along with milk, but she still needed formula. Warmer clothes were also always a necessity.  
  
It was still dark outside, the sun just beginning to rise, providing only a little light to travel by. Beth walked across the courtyard to the farthest building from their ‘apartment complex.’ It provided a lookout position for the back side of Terminus. It was a more isolated location, being up on the roof, and it had become a place Beth found herself more often than not.  
  
Carefully stepping up the ladder, she pulled herself over the ledge and climbed onto the roof. The roof was bare, save a plastic fold out chair, and an umbrella for the summer months. Beth would usually come up and relieve the person on duty when she had nothing else to do and couldn’t go back to sleep. She had started recognizing faces, but names still eluded her. Trying to remember a person’s name wouldn’t be an issue this morning, for she immediately recognized the set of angel wings resting against black leather.  
  
“You couldn’t sleep either?” Beth asked as she moved to stand beside him.  
  
Walkers were dotted along the fence line. It was nothing in comparison to what they had witnessed at the prison, but they knew what happened when walkers piled up.  
  
“Woke up early,” Daryl murmured.  
  
Beth glanced up at him. From the dark circles under his eyes, it didn’t look like he’d been sleeping much at all.  
  
“I couldn’t either,” Beth replied, ignoring his excuse.  
  
They fell into silence and Beth scanned the area once more. A majority of people were still asleep, but there were a few bustling about, preparing for the day.  
  
“Think they’ll figure out what to do with the people in the rail car today?” Beth asked absently.  
  
“Doubt it,” Daryl huffed.  
  
They had been debating the past few days on whether to ‘banish’ them from Terminus, try to reinstate them in society, or a third option that Beth couldn’t even fathom. She agreed that they were dangerous. That given the chance, they may create a new scheme somewhere else to lure innocent survivors in and imprison them for their own selfish needs, but she couldn’t accept the idea of killing based on theories. She didn’t trust them to be allowed to stay in Terminus either. Not with Judith here. Not with her family.  
  
“Should jus’ kill the psychos and be done with ‘em,” Daryl sneered.  
  
“Daryl,” Beth sighed, “You don’t mean that.”  
  
“The hell I don’t,” Daryl looked at her, “Those pieces of shit locked us up. Locked up tons ‘ah others too. You seen the cage full’a bones. You _know_ what they were doin’. They’re sick and they deserve t’be put down like the animals they are!” Daryl was more hostile than Beth had seen him since their argument a week ago.  
  
She turned to fully face him, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Ain’t nothin’ wrong,” Daryl defended.  
  
“You’re lyin',” Beth kept her voice even.  
  
“Nothin’s wrong,” Daryl repeated.  
  
Beth placed her crossbow on her back and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn’t rise to his bait. He was looking for an argument so he could vent whatever anger he had and she wasn’t his punching bag. Instead, she calmly looked at him and waited for him to tell her what was on his mind.  
  
Daryl stared at her for several minutes before scratching the back of his head in annoyance. Beth noticed him chewing on his bottom lip and his nervous habit spurred her into action. Stepping forward, she uncrossed her arms and cupped his face with her hands. Gently turning his face to look at her, she gave him a small smile.  
  
“Talk to me,” she whispered.  
  
Daryl stared at her for a great length of time before he sighed and gave in to her request.  
  
“Winter’s still hangin’ 'round and we got more people t’care for,” his voice sounded rough.  
  
“I know,” Beth said with a nod, finding it somewhat ironic that she had just shared the same concern a few moments ago.  
  
“We don’t have enough supplies for everyone,” Daryl hissed.  
  
Beth dropped her hands to his and held them tightly.  
  
“So what are we gonna’ do about it?” Beth inquired.  
  
“Sasha and Michonne found some blankets. Few warm things for people t’wear, but we got more people here than what Terminus had,” he informed her, referring to the people living in Terminus before they had been overthrown.  
  
“We need some stuff for Judith too. I made her a bottle last night an’ noticed there’s only about a fourth of the container left,” Beth pointed out.  
  
Daryl nodded.  
  
“Food will be an issue too. We have a lot of mouths to feed and we _definitely_ do not share the same appetite as they did,” Beth inwardly cringed.  
  
“Need to scout ‘round. See if there’s anythin’ nearby worth checkin’ out,” Daryl spread his fingers and laced them between hers.  
  
Beth felt warm, despite the cold morning, from this small gesture. She smiled at him, but otherwise gave no indication that she had recognized what he had done.  
  
“So when do we leave?” Beth cut to the point.  
  
“I’ll talk t’Rick. I’d like to go later today if we can manage it,” Daryl answered.  
  
“Sounds good,” Beth agreed.  
  
Beth gave his hands a squeeze, in which Daryl returned, and then she let go of his hands. She looked out over the wooded area several feet away and suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to ask him something that had been weighing on her mind.  
  
“Daryl?” She said softly, not meeting his gaze.  
  
“Yeah?” She could feel his eyes on her.  
  
“How do you deal with…ya’ know…” Beth couldn’t bring herself to finish her thought aloud.  
  
“What?” Daryl glanced at her from under his bangs.  
  
“When you….” Beth bit her bottom lip, “When you take someone’s life. How do you deal with it?”  
  
Daryl got quiet and Beth waited. She could see his jaw working as he processed her question. She wasn’t sure how taking the life of another affected Daryl. Everyone was different. However, she knew Daryl. She knew that even though he may act like he didn’t have a care in the world, deep down he was always listening and taking what people said to heart. That he wasn’t numb to his emotions and taking a person’s life would weigh just as heavy on his heart as it did hers.  
  
“You jus’ don’t think about it,” Daryl settled for answering.  
  
“What about the nightmares?” Beth kept her eyes forward when she asked, but she could feel him turn sharply to look at her.  
  
“I keep replaying _every…single…_ one of them. Every time I close my eyes,” Beth admitted somberly.  
  
She heard Daryl exhale, his breath a mist in front of him, while Beth peeked at him from the corner of her eye.  
  
“Back on tha’ farm. Before the herd. You remember that old man? One always goin’ on about what was moral and all that shit,” Daryl glanced at her.  
  
“Dale? Was that his name?” Beth tilted her head to the side in thought.  
  
“Yeah,” Daryl nodded.  
  
She watched him and waited for him to continue.  
  
“I was the first one there, but I was too late. Walker’d already ripped into ‘em. I looked him ‘n the eyes when I pulled the trigger,” Daryl’s voice was soft, as if he was reliving the experience as he spoke to her.  
  
She reached over and reclaimed his hand, interlacing their fingers in silent support.  
  
“When it’s quiet. When I get too much time t’think. I see Dale,” Daryl mumbled.  
  
She knew he was, in a roundabout way, saying he understood how she felt. That he too had nightmares. That he felt the same guilt she felt. He understood and that meant more than anything anyone could say to her.  
  
“Think it’ll ever go away?” Beth asked in naïve hope.  
  
“Changes ya’,” Daryl replied.  
  
Beth knew this. She knew it would never go away. Maggie would have told her that ‘in time things would get better,’ but Daryl had always been honest with her. He was blunt, straight-to-the-point, and she respected him all the more for that.  
  
“Two ah’ yours shoulda’ been on my hands,” Daryl hissed.  
  
“What?” Beth was confused, “What do ya’ mean two of them should be on your hands?”  
  
“That fucker in the armory. Then when we first got on the roof,” Daryl didn’t elaborate.  
  
Beth fought the wave of nausea that took hold when she thought back to the man she had mercilessly stabbed in the face. It had been in the heat of the moment, but she hadn’t dared chancing that Daryl might not have needed the help. If they had spotted him, he may have been able to take them out first, but there had been two of them and Daryl had been vulnerable to them where he had been hiding.  
  
“I know you weren’t in danger on the roof. Not the first time, but you know as well as I do that hesitating in this day an’ age gets you killed. You probably woulda’ gotten yourself outta’ trouble when I helped you after we split up, when I got off the roof of that other building, but tha’ guy in the armory…there was no way of knowin’ someone was in there and we _needed_ those guns,” Beth argued.  
  
“I shouldn’t ‘ah let you go in alone,” Daryl glowered.  
  
“It wasn’t your decision and you can’t protect me from everythin’. I have to deal with the consequences of my choices. They are _not_ your fault,” Beth said firmly, putting an end to the conversation before it began.  
  
Beth could feel the tension hanging in the air between them. She knew Daryl would always blame himself for things that were out of his control. It was a quality that she both admired and detested. He had a good heart, even if he misplaced his guilt. Deciding to change the subject, Beth asked something that had been on her mind since the night they infiltrated Terminus.  
  
“On the roof, after I…when I couldn’t breathe, how’d you know what to do?” She asked softly.  
  
“I had asthma as a kid. My mom smoked like a fuckin’ freight train an’ we couldn’t afford meds. Cut into their booze money I s’pose. So Merle…” he paused, “He’d get me t’focusin’ on his breathin’ and calm me down.”  
  
Beth didn’t respond. She may not have thought highly of the older Dixon, but Daryl did, and she wasn’t the type to speak ill of the dead.  
  
“I know he was a piece of shit, but he looked out for me,” Daryl glanced at her, “It was just me and him for the longest.”  
  
“I’m glad you had him,” Beth genuinely meant the statement.  
  
Daryl nodded while looking down at his feet. He rarely talked about Merle. She felt an immense amount of gratitude that he felt comfortable enough to share personal things with her and she wasn’t going to ruin the moment.  
  
“I never thanked you,” Beth squeezed his hand.  
  
“Don’t gotta’,” Daryl glanced at her from the corner of his eye.  
  
“I do. You got me through it,” Beth replied, “Thank you Daryl.”  
  
“Welcome,” Daryl grunted.  
  
Footsteps up the ladder signaled that the next watch shift was coming to replace Daryl. Looking over her shoulder, she recognized the man and gave him a polite smile. Turning her attention back to Daryl she gave his hand a gentle tug.  
  
“Come on. Rick should be up and we’ll talk to him about scouting the area. Sooner we leave, the sooner we can find places that will get us stocked up on resources,” Beth suggested.  
  
Daryl didn’t reply, but followed behind her. She had hoped that Daryl had accepted that she was responsible for the consequences of her decisions, but knowing him, they would have another conversation about everything once he had sorted out his thoughts.  
  
…  
  
Beth spotted Rick standing in the courtyard with Judith on his hip. She smiled at the scene, thankful to once again have a safe place for Judith to grow up, and admiring the tender moment before her. She hadn’t noticed she had stopped walking until Daryl placed a hand on the small of her back.  
  
“Sorry,” she murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
“S’alright,” he replied just as softly.  
  
“Mornin’,” Rick called to them.  
  
“Good morning,” Beth beamed, closing the distance between them.  
  
“What’s got you two up so early?” Rick adjusted Judith who was reaching for Beth.  
Beth took the baby and planted several kisses on Judith’s pudgy cheeks.  
  
“We was talkin’, me and Beth, and we’re gonna’ go out and scout around the area. Try to find some places that might have supplies we could use. We got lots more people t’care for,” Daryl cut straight to the point.  
  
“I think that’s a good idea. Terminus has a decent stockpile, but it wouldn’t hurt to have more,” Rick agreed, “When you thinkin’ on leavin’?”  
  
“Later today. After lunch,” Daryl answered.  
  
Rick nodded and brought his hand up to rub his coarse beard, “Think just the two ‘ah you is enough? I don’t trust any of the people we freed enough to go with you, but maybe Glenn? Michonne or Tyreese?”  
  
“Nah. We’ll be quicker with just us two,” Daryl pointed out.  
  
“Alright,” Rick concurred, “How long you thinkin’ it’ll take?”  
  
“Mmm….two? Maybe three days tops?” Beth looked to Daryl.  
  
“Yeah,” Daryl nodded.  
  
“Take whatever you need. Just be sure and let Maggie know what you’re doin’,” Rick reached out and took Judith back from Beth.  
  
“I will,” Beth gave Judith another quick kiss before handing her over, “First thing we’re doin’ is checkin’ your stitches.”  
  
Daryl made a noise and Rick smirked.  
  
“I’ll do it myself,” Beth encouraged, “Don’t be a baby about it.”  
  
“I ain’t no baby,” Daryl glared at her.  
  
“Then let’s prove that assertion, shall we?” Beth smiled sweetly.  
  
Daryl's nostrils flared.  
  
“She’s a Greene girl. Bes’ not to argue,” Rick laughed and turned to take Judith back inside.  
  
“Come on,” Beth started toward the medical building.  
  
“Always draggin’ me wherever you please,” Daryl grumbled.  
  
“Someone’s gotta’ look after you,” Beth sing-songed over her shoulder.  
  
Daryl grunted indignantly, but Beth knew he was following her. Pushing the door to Bob’s makeshift hospital open, she motioned for Daryl to follow her. She grabbed some gauze and a small pair of scissors off of one of the trays and led him to an area at the back of the room.  
  
There were still several people asleep on the cots, but most everyone was healing. Walking past the woman Beth had injured on the roof, she was relieved to see the color had returned to her skin, an obvious sign she was healing.  
  
They had two armed guards posted in the med bay as a precaution, but for the most part, helping the injured had been a quiet affair. They had received Bob’s instructions without much argument and hadn’t attempted in taking anyone else’s life since they’d been brought in.  
  
“Umm...” Beth cleared her throat, “You want me to cut another hole your pants to check the stitches..or?”  
  
Daryl didn’t hesitate in undoing his belt and Beth was immensely relived to see the elastic band of his boxer briefs peeking over the top of his pants. She turned to give him a bit of privacy and she no longer heard the rustling of fabric, she turned back around.  
  
Seeing Daryl sitting on the cot with his pants around his ankles was the most ridiculous thing she had seen in some time. She tried and failed to stifle the giggles slipping past her lips.  
  
“Go on, laugh it up,” Daryl glared at her.  
  
She wasn’t sure if it was the sun’s rays coming through the window or if Daryl was blushing. Regardless, she got herself together and removed the bandage over the front of his thigh.  
  
“Looks like they could stay in another day or two,” Beth spoke as professionally as she could manage.  
  
“Take the son of’a bitches out. I ain’t droppin’ my pants a second time,” Daryl blurted.  
  
“Oh no?” Beth couldn’t help but tease.  
  
She peered up and met his furious stare.  
  
“Alright, alright. I’ll take them out,” Beth yielded.  
  
Careful not to reopen the wound, she slid the scissors under the thread and snipped them in two. Grabbing the knot, she slipped a few out from where they had been holding his skin together.  
  
“Why only the front?” Daryl asked.  
  
“What?” Beth stopped her task and glanced up at him.  
  
“Why’d you only stitch the front? Bullet went in the back of my leg too,” he clarified.  
  
“Oh. The entry wound was clean. Not a lot of damage. It wouldn’t need help healin’ back together like the front of your leg. The exit wound is usually where there’s the most damage,” Beth explained.  
  
“How you know all this?” Daryl quirked an eyebrow at her.  
  
“Back on the farm, one of our cows got shot. Hunter mistook her for a deer. Hit her in the leg. Daddy used staples, but it’s the same concept,” Beth answered while she resumed her work.  
She pulled out the last stitch and then moved to the outside of his leg to examine the entry wound.  
  
“This looks pretty well healed,” she patted his leg affectionately, “the top wounds gonna’ leave a scar, but it’s better than what it would’ve been.”  
  
“Not the only one I’ve got,” Daryl said sarcastically.  
Beth bit her lips together, unsure whether Daryl had meant for her to hear his comment.  
  
“I’m gonna’ let you get decent and go find Mags. Need to fill her in before we leave,” Beth said quickly, trying to cover her anxiety over Daryl’s previous remark.  
  
“Alright. I’ll catch up with ya’ in a bit,” Daryl replied, as he began hiking up his jeans.  
  
She turned to walk away, pausing mid-step. She could hear Daryl fiddling with his belt and knew he had his pants back around his hips. Taking a deep breath, she spun back around and approached him. He looked confused until she stood up on her toes and placed a kiss against his cheek.  
  
When she pulled back, he was staring at her with furrowed brows, as if he was contemplating something far beyond Beth’s insight. She glanced between his eyes and his lips, unsure whether she should walk away or kiss him while she had the nerve.  
  
“I’ll see you in a little while,” she said with a smile.  
  
Then she turned and walked out of the building. She needed to find Maggie and pack her things.  
  
They had a busy day ahead of them.  
  
…  
  
Beth was sitting next to Maggie, having already finished her lunch, when Daryl approached them. He had his crossbow against his back and a backpack slung over his shoulder. Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and Beth forced herself not to roll her eyes.  
  
Maggie hadn’t been thrilled with the idea of Beth going off with Daryl and scouting for supplies. She had suggested that they take more people, but Beth had been adamant that she and Daryl would be more than enough. They were only going to be taking stock of what was available to them nearby, not bringing home all of the supplies they came across.  
  
“You take care of my little sister. You hear?” Maggie said to Daryl.  
  
“She’s grown. She knows how to handle herself,” Daryl replied.  
  
“Maggie, I told you, it’ll be fine,” Beth intervened.  
  
“Just be careful, alright?” Maggie sighed, reaching out to give Beth a hug.  
  
“We’ll be back in a few days. It’ll be fine,” Beth returned her sister’s hug.  
  
She knew Maggie was worried about her. She would be too if Maggie were the one leaving, but they all had different ways they could contribute and this was what Beth chose to do.  
  
“Watch yourselves,” Maggie offered to Daryl.  
  
“This ain’t our first rodeo,” Daryl brushed off Maggie’s concern.  
  
Beth reached down and grabbed her things. Her crossbow was useless, as she had no ammo, but she knew that would be the first thing Daryl would search for. Maggie had told her to take her handgun and after several minutes of deliberation, Beth had finally agreed. Daryl too had a rifle strapped to his back. They would only use the weapons in an emergency, but they would at least have them should an emergency situation occur.  
  
“We’ll be back,” Beth told her sister.  
  
“Be careful,” Maggie replied.  
  
Beth had already stopped by to see Judith, Carl, and Rick before lunch. She had caught Michonne in the armory when she had gone to see if they had by chance taken any bolts from anyone forced into a boxcar. Glenn had been with Maggie when she had gone to tell her about the reconnaissance trip. The only person she hadn’t seen was Carol.  
  
“You tell Carol what we were doin’?”Beth asked as she followed beside Daryl out of the chain link gate.  
  
“Yeah,” Daryl answered her, shutting the gate behind them.  
  
“She say anythin’?” Beth was curious.  
  
“Just t’be careful. Same as everyone else,” Daryl answered her.  
  
Beth nodded and stopped outside of the second gate. She wasn’t sure which direction Daryl wanted to go, but she knew the path straight ahead, the direction they had come from, led to nothing they could use.  
  
“Where to?” She looked to Daryl.  
  
“Let’s head east. We don’t come across anything in a few hours, we’ll head south and loop back around,” Daryl pointed in the direction to their right.  
  
“Sounds good to me,” Beth agreed.  
  
Beth wasn’t looking forward to the miles of walking, but it had become the norm. If they didn’t find anything within walking distance, they’d have to consider checking into some of the vehicles in Terminus and driving further out. The trip in general reminded her of their stint together after the prison fell. Things had been rough, but for the most part, they had all been good memories.  
  
“Just like old times, huh?” Beth asked while she sped her pace to keep up with him.  
  
“We find someone’s stash ah’ food, we’re takin’ what we can and bookin’ it out of there,” Daryl replied.  
  
Daryl was dead serious. She knew she shouldn’t, but she found his statement to be comical and couldn’t stop her laughter.  
  
“I ain’t fallin’ for the same shit twice. Was stupid we stayed the first time. We knew better,” Daryl mumbled, miffed by her amusement.  
  
“Only if I get the pigs feet this time,” Beth teased.  
  
“You sassin’ me?” Daryl failed to hide his smirk, “We got three days together.”  
  
“You should feel honored by my presence,” Beth retorted.  
  
“Stubborn an’ a smart ass,” Daryl grumbled, “Just like old times.”  
  
Beth wasn’t sure if their trip would be as fruitful as she hoped, but nevertheless she was happy to have a job to do to keep her busy. Granted they were in more danger outside of the fences, Beth had found herself going stir crazy inside. Daryl had definitely rubbed off on her more than she’d thought.  
  
“First things first,” Daryl interrupted her thoughts, “we need bolts.”  
  
“Lead the way Mr. Dixon,” Beth said with a smile.  
  
Daryl gave her a flat look and Beth’s smile widened.  
 _  
Just like old times…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope all of my American readers had a good Fourth of July!!!
> 
> So we're finally given' some insight on how Daryl feels on how things went down in Terminus! It's just a glimpse, but everything with Daryl has to be done in baby steps! We even got a glimmer of his life before with Merle! : )
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter!! Leave me some feedback!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
Thank you** Nicole137137 for all the support and editing this chapter for me!  
 **  
**I just want to thank everyone who messaged me! I appreciate how much you guys love this story! I've had some real life stuff going on and haven't had time to write! Thank you all for taking time to read and review my story!  
  
...  
  
They had been on the road for a few hours. They hadn't spoken much, focusing more on their surroundings, but Beth felt safer than she had in Terminus. Out on their own, with Daryl beside her, she was more in her element than she had been all week.  
  
The silence was comfortable. It wasn't suffocating, like she had sometimes felt in the past when they had first been thrown together after the fall of the prison. Back then, she had been talking to herself more than Daryl had been listening to her. She smiled at the thought of how far they had come.  
  
"-yer' back?"  
  
"Huh?" Beth had been too lost in her thoughts to realize Daryl had initiated a conversation.  
  
"I asked, how's yer' back?"  
  
"Oh," Beth acknowledged, "Its fine now. Takin' over Terminus had me sore, but I'm okay now."  
Daryl grunted a reply and Beth's eyes zeroed in on his leg.  
  
"How's the wound? Botherin' you any?" Beth asked.  
  
"S'fine," Daryl replied.  
  
"Good," Beth responded.  
  
"You need a break?" Daryl inquired.  
  
Beth looked around, but saw nothing to indicate that they were at a safe place to stop. However, she quickly connected the dots. Daryl wasn't asking if she needed a break for her sake, he was asking if she needed a break because _he_ was fatigued.  
  
"Sure. We've been walkin' a while," Beth responded without voicing her realization. She imagined Daryl was already annoyed enough with himself and her commentary would only make matters worse.  
  
Beth had rested a few days, and then drove herself to get up and work out through her soreness. Daryl had been forced to stay off his feet as much as possible or risk wounding his leg further. A week of no activity would catch up with anyone.  
  
They stood in the middle of the road, both looking for a decent place to rest for a few minutes, but the sides of the road were lined with trees. There wasn't anywhere close by that would provide them decent shelter against walkers and so Beth took it upon herself to plop down in the middle of the road. She looked up to find Daryl staring at her perplexedly.  
  
"What? Better to stay out in the open where we have options if we need to run. S'not like there's gonna' be any cars comin' anyway," Beth shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"I swear," Daryl groaned as he lowered himself to the ground.  
  
Beth looked at him and furrowed her brows.  
  
"You Greene girls," was all Daryl elaborated on.  
  
The asphalt was hot, she could feel the heat steadily rising through the thin material of her worn jeans, but it felt good in the cooler weather. They had yet to come across any stores or houses. The direction they had taken had been completely rural. Beth could see fields for miles, but no buildings, no houses, no sign that civilization had touched any of this part of Georgia.  
  
"So what's tha' plan?" Beth pulled a plastic bottle of what used to be a Pepsi product and drank some of the water inside.  
  
"We keep walkin' that a'ways a bit further. Looks like we're comin' to a clearin'," Daryl pointed farther down the road.  
  
"How can ya' tell?" Beth asked, genuinely curious.  
  
"Trees are startin' to thin out," Daryl replied.  
  
Beth looked around them. She wasn't questioning Daryl's statement. She was learning from it. The density of the trees hadn't been something she generally paid attention to. Having gained yet another piece of survival wisdom from Daryl, she smiled.  
  
"What's that look for?" Daryl glanced at her.  
  
"Nothin'," Beth's smile remained.  
  
Daryl's eyes turned to slits as he stared at her. She knew he didn't buy her dismissal, but he didn't pry any further.  
  
"Drink up. We got a long walk ahead'ah us," Daryl grumbled.  
  
"Yes Mr. Dixon," Beth teased, but drank more water in order to appease him nonetheless.  
  
…  
  
They had been walking for another hour or so and they had indeed come to a clearing, just like Daryl had predicted. Instead of finding the edge of a suburb, they found themselves surrounded by pastures of long dead crops, growing shrubbery, and a small cluster of walkers.  
  
Beth swung her crossbow, knocking back an oncoming walker, and using the momentum to kick it to the ground. Another walker reached for her and she lurched back, dropping her crossbow in the process. However, in doing so, the second walker tripped over the first and the two lay in a heap of groaning, rotting flesh.  
  
"Beth," Daryl's voice came from her right.  
  
Whipping her head around, she moved toward Daryl, unsheathing her knife. He was holding two walkers at bay with his crossbow while a third was coming up from behind him. She rushed the third walker, stabbing upward through the base of its skull and quickly yanking her blade out. She then moved behind the two walkers trying to get to Daryl. Pulling on the back of one's shirt in an attempt to aide Daryl so he could take care of the remaining walker, Beth found the walker to be a bit stouter than expected.  
  
She managed to take a few steps back, but she found herself being drug back toward Daryl. However, with her prying the walker off of his crossbow, she allowed him the opportunity to unsheathe his knife and end the walker still snarling at him. Tugging hard once more, Beth attempted to stab her knife through the walker's skull. When she met resistance, she withdrew her knife and struck again, only to have the tip of her knife stop short of penetrating its brain.  
  
"Daryl," Beth's voice trembled as the walker rounded on her.  
  
She fell backwards, her knife slipping from her hand while she wrapped her fingers around the walker's throat. Its rotten teeth snapped at her a mere inch from her face. She could smell the decomposition on its breath.  
  
"Daryl!" She managed to scream as she fought to hold the dead weight above her.  
  
She could feel the dead fingers grabbing at her arms and knew it would only be a few more seconds before they would begin ripping her vulnerable abdominal area apart. A clumsy hand brushed her side and she knew she had to do something. She could hear Daryl yelling at her, but couldn't make out the words over the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears.  
  
Glancing to her right, she caught sight of her knife. It was within reach and so long as she could hold the walker up with one hand, she could grab it. Just as she was about to reach for it, the dead weight vanished. Scrambling into a sitting position, she quickly snatched up her knife and got to her feet. Daryl had managed to pull the walker off of her, but had no weapon in hand. Beth moved on instinct, stabbing the walker straight through the forehead; dark, black blood spurting onto her hand and face.  
  
"What the fuck was that?" Daryl hissed.  
  
"I don't know. I tried t'stab it through the head, but the knife wouldn't go in," Beth's entire body was shaking as she spoke.  
  
Daryl was now standing in front of her, examining her from head to toe. His hands moved from her shoulders to cup her face as he tilted it from side to side. His eyes held a wild expression, but he remained silent.  
  
"I'm fine. Didn't get me," Beth lifted her shaking hands to grab his wrists.  
  
They stood there, staring at each other for several moments, taking each other in. The longer she held on to Daryl, the calmer she felt. She felt his hand move as he tentatively brushed his thumb across her cheek. After a few strokes she could no long feel the wet sensation on her cheek.  
  
"Thanks," she tried to smile at him.  
  
"That was too close," Daryl replied.  
  
"I know, but I'm okay. You got to me in time," Beth patted his wrist.  
  
"Almost didn't," Daryl furrowed his brows.  
  
She couldn't imagine exactly what Daryl was thinking, but from the more recent conversations they'd shared and the haunted expression on his face when he first began checking her over, she could take a guess; Dale. She knew he had died in the same position she had just been in, but Daryl hadn't gotten to him in time.  
  
"But you did," Beth reassured him the best she could.  
  
Daryl dropped his hands from her face and Beth felt her head swim. Bending over to brace her hands on her knees, the realization of just how close to death she had been made her feel weak. She closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths. After the initial dizziness subsided, she re-opened her eyes to see Daryl inspecting the walker that had almost ended her.  
  
"Bastard's gotta' metal plate in his head," he explained, prodding the walker's skull with his knife.  
  
"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Beth replied in disbelief.  
  
"Shit you not," Daryl stabbed a few times, harder than necessary, and Beth could hear the soft 'clinking' of metal on metal.  
  
"Well that explains it," Beth stood up straight.  
  
"Somethin' we'll have to make sure an' consider from now on," Daryl said from his crouched position.  
  
" _Definitely_ ," Beth breathed.  
  
Standing up, Daryl walked over to the two walkers Beth had left on the ground, and retrieved her crossbow. He must have been taking care of them when she fell as they were now lying lifeless atop one another.  
  
"This would have been so much easier if we had bolts," Beth accepted her crossbow from Daryl.  
  
"We find us a suburb, there's ah' chance we can find some," Daryl concurred.  
  
"Ready to loop around now?" Beth asked.  
  
It was clear that the direction they were heading was not into a populated area. The sun was getting lower in the sky and they would need to set up some sort of camp or find a nice tree to hide out in until morning.  
  
"Yeah. Looks like a county road up ahead. We'll take it and see where it leads," Daryl pointed further up the dirt road.  
  
"Sounds good," Beth replied, following behind Daryl and taking one last glance at the metal-headed walker.  
  
Never in a million years had she entertained the thought of a walker having a metal plate. They would definitely have to consider a few more factors when it came to killing walkers.  
  
…  
  
"You've seriously never played twenty questions?" Beth asked as she walked beside him.  
  
"What is it with you an' your dumb games?" Daryl glared at her.  
  
"I _tried_ playing one drinkin' game with you," Beth gave him a flat look.  
  
"Whadn't much of a game," Daryl scoffed.  
  
"Only because you took ah' question personally and then threw a fit," it was Beth's turn to glare.  
  
They had been walking down the county road Daryl had suggested in silence until Beth couldn't take it anymore. Daryl seemed content to give her one word answers, but Beth needed a distraction. When she didn't have anything to keep her brain occupied, she started thinking, thinking then led to remembering, and remembering recent events didn't do her mental health any good.  
  
"This one is simple and doesn't involve alcohol," Beth continued, "Think you can handle it?"  
Daryl grunted, but didn't refuse.  
  
"So…" Beth paused, trying to conjure a decent first question, "Favorite color?"  
  
Daryl didn't immediately reply. Beth could see him working out whether he was going to appease her or continue to be stubborn. He must have realized that Beth's obstinacy rivaled his own because he sighed and reluctantly answered her.  
  
"Blue," he replied.  
  
"Really?" Beth tried not to sound surprised by his answer.  
  
"Really," Daryl repeated.  
  
"I woulda' guessed black or gray or something," Beth admitted, "There like a particular shade of blue?"  
  
Daryl glanced at her and Beth could see his jaw tighten.  
  
"That how this game works?" Daryl asked instead of answering.  
  
"Oh. Well...we take turns askin' questions, so you get t'ask me a question now," Beth smiled, kicking a rock further down the road.  
  
"Favorite color?" Daryl mirrored her question.  
  
"Yellow," Beth answered immediately.  
  
"Figured you'd say pink or some other prissy girl color," Daryl mumbled sarcastically.  
  
Beth gave Daryl a look. She knew the jab was because of her comment to his favorite color. She would admit that she had been a bit stereotypical, but the fact that he didn't shut down completely and instead turned the remark back on her was improvement.  
  
"Any particular shade of blue?" Beth used her turn to restate her previous question.  
  
"Yeah," Daryl murmured.  
  
"Not going to elaborate?" Beth probed.  
  
"What's yer' reason for likin' yellow?" Daryl countered.  
  
Beth huffed, "My momma had this beautiful, Sunday dress. It was yellow. So yellow always makes me think of her."  
  
Beth kicked the rock again, having caught up to where it landed, and tried to think of another non-personal question.  
  
"You have a favorite number?" She looked up at him.  
  
"I do," he nodded his head.  
  
Beth was getting slightly frustrated with Daryl's answers. She knew he wasn't the forth coming type, but these questions were meaningless. She would gain nothing over him by knowing the answers, except maybe more about him. Maybe that was the problem? He didn't want her to know more about him?  
  
"What's your favorite number?" His voice broke her thoughts.  
  
"Eighty-two," Beth settled on answering.  
  
"Eighty-two?" Daryl's look portrayed his disbelief.  
  
"It was Shawn's football number. He played wide receiver," Beth explained, "Least favorite food?"  
  
Daryl chewed on his bottom lip in thought, "Peanut butter."  
  
"Ah. So that's why you only ate the jelly back at the mortuary," Beth spoke her realization.  
  
She had always wondered why Daryl hadn't eaten any of the peanut butter when he was spooning the jelly out of the jar. Granted the combination still wouldn't be the same without bread, but it was the closest they'd ever be to having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  
  
"Wait, why'd you answer that one and not the others?" Beth's frustration finally getting the best of her.  
  
"We still playin'?" Daryl asked with a smirk.  
  
"No," Beth glared at him, "How come you wouldn't answer my other questions?"  
  
"I did answer 'em," Daryl was obviously enjoying Beth's annoyance.  
  
"You did not! I asked what shade of blue and your favorite number and you just said you had them," Beth replayed the conversation in her head.  
  
"You asked if I had a particular shade ah' blue or a favorite number," Daryl reiterated her questions.  
  
"Exactly!" Beth's voice an octave higher than usual.  
  
"I said I did," Daryl's calm tone irritated Beth.  
  
"That's not answerin' the question," Beth sighed.  
  
"If ya' didn't get the answer you wanted, you didn't ask the question right," Daryl elaborated.  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Beth groaned, finally realizing Daryl's point, "My questions weren't _specific_ enough? Is that what you're sayin'?"  
  
"I had an older brother who liked to get himself in heaps ah' trouble with feds and drug dealers alike. Learned it's all about what they're askin'," Daryl enlightened her.  
  
"You're no fun," Beth sighed, utterly defeated.  
  
Beth walked past the rock she had been entertaining herself with, no longer having the energy to propel it down the road. She knew Daryl could be a clever man, but she'd never thought about the reasons behind it. She just assumed it was a natural personality trait, something he'd been born with, not something he'd had to learn. The idea of him being questioned by police or hounded by drug dealers made the protective nature in her rise. Even though the world had changed, she never wanted Daryl to have to go through anything like the horrendous scenarios her imagination was creating.  
  
"Three," Daryl's voice pulled her from her reverie.  
  
"Pardon?" Beth wasn't sure she'd heard him right.  
  
"My favorite number is three," Daryl stated, glancing at her.  
  
Beth smiled, pacified that he'd at least shared a little something. She'd be more careful with her questions in the future. In a way, she had probably learned more about Daryl by what he didn't say, than any of the silly questions she could have asked him. He had also explained why he was the way he was in regards to her questions. That too spoke volumes to Beth.  
  
She could continue their silly game later. For the moment, she was content with walking in silence, pondering over other traits that Daryl possessed and what the reasons behind them could be.  
  
…  
  
Backtracking down a random dirt road had brought them to the end of a driveway that lead to an old farm house. It was a two story, white house with a wraparound porch. The shape wasn't quite the same with the roof black instead of green. It only had two chimneys rather than three. The windows had been boarded up, but overall, it was strikingly similar to the house she had grown up in on her father's farm.  
  
"Daryl…" Beth's voice was strained.  
  
"I see it," Daryl replied.  
  
Beth continued to stare, taking in the scene in front of her. She couldn't see a single walker. There was a barn, although it was painted red unlike the natural wood barn she had grown up with, was placed in almost exactly the same spot theirs had been on the farm.  
  
"We should keep goin'," Daryl's voice somber.  
  
"No," Beth straightened her shoulders, "this is the first place we've come across. We should check it out."  
  
Daryl hummed a response, but made no move toward the residence.  
  
Beth took a deep breath, reminding herself that although the house, the barn, and even the land itself looked so much like the farm she had adored, they were not one in the same. Her home had been overrun by walkers. Her barn had been burned to the ground. She had never gone back to see what had become of their place. It now only existed in her memories from _before_ everything went south.  
  
"Come on," Beth reached over and took Daryl's hand, "Let's see what we can scrounge up."  
  
She didn't wait for Daryl and began the trek up the driveway, the crunching of gravel and the evening crickets the only sounds she could hear. It was calm, peaceful, like she had remembered her home being _before_ everything had changed. She soon heard another set of footsteps behind her and slowed her pace so that Daryl could catch up to her.  
  
"Think the inside'll look the same?" Beth asked solemnly.  
  
"Doubt it. Less they got that same god awful pink couch in their livin' room," Daryl smirked.  
  
"Hey," Beth swatted his arm, "That was a Victorian style sofa. It was not pink. It was more of a rose quartz color and it happened to be one of my mother's favorite pieces of furniture."  
  
"Sounds 'bout right," Daryl held his smirk.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Beth stopped at the edge of the wooden stairs and looked up at him.  
  
"Means your dad was a tough son of'ah bitch. No way he'd have some pink-"  
  
" _Rose quartz_ ," Beth interrupted.  
  
"-couch in his livin' room of his own accord," Daryl finished.  
  
"You're an ass," Beth tried to hide a smile as she took two steps to stand eye level with him.  
  
"I've never claimed otherwise," Daryl's eyes shined in a way Beth hadn't seen in a long time.  
  
She appreciated the way he was trying to make light of the obvious unease she felt in regards to how similar this place was to her home, but there was something else. Something _more_. Daryl, like herself, seemed more relaxed outside of the walls and fences. However, this was something new. Daryl wasn't charismatic. He was surly, blunt, and rough around the edges. Hard to approach, but once someone earned his respect, his loyalty; Daryl would do everything in his power to protect them. These were all qualities that she knew and appreciated. Daryl having the closest she'd ever seen to a smile on his face and playfully bantering with her was something foreign.  
  
Then another thought hit her. They knew everyone was alive. Everyone was safe. Everyone was together. They were out on a supply run because Rick trusted them to handle everything. The world, as messed up as it had become, was okay at the moment. Daryl seemed…. _happy_.  
  
Overwhelmed, she leaned forward, placing her hands on his shoulders, and brushed her lips against his. Unlike last time, she felt his reciprocation almost immediately. His lips subtly moved against hers. The act, small as it may have been, gave her a boost of encouragement. She gently pushed herself onto her toes, further into Daryl, and her fingers tightened on his shoulders. Cautiously tilting her head, the scruff of his facial hair tickled her nose and she couldn't stop herself from giggling.  
  
"Sorry," she said while pulling back and wiggling her nose.  
  
Daryl cleared his throat, stepping up onto the porch beside her and scratching the back of his head, "Yeah. It's alright. We should, uh, check tha' house."  
  
Beth nodded, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand. She then unsheathed her knife and reached for the screen door handle. The door groaned in protest as she pulled it open and she glanced over her shoulder at Daryl. He took ahold of the door and opened it further, jerking his head up in a gesture for her to keep going.  
  
Beth took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob of the front door. She wasn't sure if she expected it to be locked or not, but was relieved to be able to turn the knob and open the door. Taking one step inside, she tightened her grip on the knife in her hand, ready to strike out at the first sign of a threat.  
  
The house wasn't anything like Beth's had been on the inside. Being able to breathe a bit easier, Beth carefully crept further into the house. Daryl veered off to the left, checking the hallway and first floor rooms, and Beth moved into the kitchen area. She didn't waste any time in checking the cupboards and in doing so; a sickening feeling of déjà vu took hold.  
  
"First floor's clear," Daryl glanced at her as he made his way toward the staircase, "What wrong?"  
The look on her face must have expressed her concern.  
  
"Beth," Daryl was beside her in an instant.  
  
"This is someone's stockpile," Beth gestured towards the open cabinets filled with an assortment of canned goods.  
  
Daryl pulled a few cans from the shelf and examined them. He carefully put them back, exactly as they had been sitting, and closed the cabinet door.  
  
"Shit," Daryl cursed.  
  
"This was a bad idea. We should've just done like you said an' kept goin'," Beth said in a rush.  
  
"I saw a few blankets in the bedroom down the hallway. Let's grab them and get out of here," Daryl sighed, turning to Beth.  
  
"'Kay," Beth nodded in agreement.  
  
She followed Daryl out of the kitchen and into the living area when Daryl abruptly stopped in front of her, causing her to run into his back. His arm shot out behind him to catch her and she balanced herself by gripping both her hands around his forearm.  
  
"What is it?" Beth felt her unease growing.  
  
"You hear that?" Daryl asked over his shoulder.  
  
Beth let go of his arm, allowing Daryl to walk back to the front door, and focused all of her attention on listening to their surroundings. It was quiet at first, but she slowly began picking up on the low grumble off in the distance. It was a sound she wouldn't have found too uncommon _before_ , but hearing it now sent her stomach to her feet. Beth retraced her steps and stood next to Daryl who was still holding open the screen door.  
  
"That a truck?" Beth whispered.  
  
She knew whoever was coming their way wouldn't be able to hear her, but it was an automatic response to the situation.  
  
"Sounds that way," Daryl's voice coming out only a bit louder than hers as he peered through the crack he had made opening the solid, oak door.  
  
"What do we do?" Beth looked up at him.  
  
"We'll hide out in here 'til they pass. Don't want t'attract any attention," Daryl wrapped his hand around her forearm and pulled her further into the house, shutting the door behind him.  
Beth quickly scanned the house, looking at every available exit. It had become a habit to always have an escape plan.  
  
"There's a back door through the kitchen. I don't know if we can pry the windows open with the boards on there or not," Beth whispered, griping Daryl's hand that still held her arm.  
  
Daryl didn't reply. She could tell he was listening intently to the sound of the approaching vehicle.  
  
"They're getting closer," Beth hissed.  
  
Daryl remained mute.  
  
"Daryl," Beth looked up at him.  
  
"Beth, go check the back door," Daryl insisted calmly.  
  
Beth moved quickly to the back door. She turned the knob, opening the door, only to find neatly placed boards blocking the doorway. She beat her fists against the thick, wooden planks, but they didn't budge. Shutting the door, she walked back into the living room, and shook her head.  
  
"Upstairs," Daryl moved to the stairs and flicked his wrist for Beth to come to him.  
  
She crossed the room and her blood ran cold when she recognized the eerily familiar sound of rubber on gravel. She had heard the same sound every day of her life for sixteen years. She scrambled up the stairs, Daryl right behind her, and she threw caution to the wind as she opened doors trying to find a suitable room for them to hide in.  
  
Daryl was at the end of the hallway, peeking through the curtains covering a window, as the slamming of doors could be heard followed by several voices. Not satisfied with any of the rooms, Beth frantically looked around for another option.  
  
"Attic?" Beth pointed to the string hanging down from the ceiling.  
  
Daryl nodded, stepping away from the window and reaching for the chord. He wasn't tall enough and Beth could feel herself beginning to panic. The voices were still outside, but they would eventually come into the house.  
  
She jumped when she felt Daryl's hands on her waist. He then pulled her closer, hoisting her up in his arms, and she understood what he was doing. Reaching up, she pulled the white string that lowered the stairs to the attic. Daryl lowered her back down to the ground and pulled the fold out ladder down, motioning for Beth to climb up.  
  
The attic was dusty and smelled stale, but Beth could have cared less. She nearly collapsed in relief the moment Daryl had the stairs pulled back up. It was only a few minutes later that the echoing of footsteps could be heard on the porch followed by the creaking of the screen door.  
  
"How many?" Beth whispered, pulling her crossbow off of her back, setting it down gently, and rubbing her shoulder.  
  
"Counted three in the bed of tha' truck. Gonna' guess three or four in the cab. Single cab pick-up truck," Daryl stood over the attic stairwell, still listening below them, while his words were clipped.  
  
There wasn't much in the attic. A few cardboard boxes marked 'misc.' and some other odds and ends, but pretty barren for the most part.  
  
"So now we just wait?" Beth inquired softly.  
  
"Yeah. We'll sneak out when they go t'sleep," Daryl answered, taking off and setting his crossbow on the floor next to Beth's before moving back to stand guard at the entryway.  
  
"They'll have someone on guard duty," Beth voiced what she knew Daryl was already aware of.  
  
"I'll handle 'em," Daryl's tone took a serious edge.  
  
Beth eased herself into a sitting position, getting comfortable for however long their wait would be, and lamented on their predicament. It never failed that when any small bit of happiness shined down on them, something had to happen to snuff it out.  
  
She knew that whatever happened, they had each others backs, and they would get out of their situation together. They just had to wait for the opportune moment and then they could make a break for it. It was sad that they automatically assumed that everyone they came across were bad people, but people who weren't careful, people who didn't presume the worst of others; those people didn't survive. She still had faith that there were good people in the world. She just based a person's values more on their actions than blind optimism.  
  
Daryl shuffled around across from her, quietly sitting on the ground while his knees brushed against hers, and Beth reminisced on the last time they had been 'trapped.' She had gotten to know Daryl on a much more intimate level, with the help of some alcohol, and it had been one of the major turning points in their relationship.  
  
Reaching out, she took his hand in silent comfort, and intertwined her fingers with his. He glanced up at her, the shadows of the setting sun dancing across his features from the small attic window, and she gave him a reassuring smile.  
  
"Might as well make the best of it," she said quietly, repeating her words to him from the moonshiner's shack.  
  
He didn't respond, but he gave her hand a firm squeeze.  
  
As they sat in silence, waiting for time to pass by, Beth tried to calm her nerves. She had only been drunk once, but she remembered the blissful feeling it had given her. She was acutely aware of how stupid it would be to drink, given their circumstances, but only one thought crossed her mind as she held tightly onto Daryl's hand.  
 _  
Too bad there isn_ _'t any moonshine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this is The Walking Dead. Can't have too much happiness! Lol! Let me know what you guys thought of the chapter! XOXO


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
 **Thank you**** Nicole137137 for the wonderful edits on this chapter!

Nicole had an interview with one of Michonne's walker's from season 3! She has a website where she posts all things Walking Dead/Norman Reedus related! Please check it out! I'm actually writing two blog posts for her as a guest blogger! First time I've ever done that! I'm excited!

http://questforaninterview.com/author/nicole137137/

**A/N:** With the new school year starting and me having to go back to work, I'm going to have to cut down chapters to once every two weeks. So two chapters a month. If I can manage to get a chapter written in a week, I will upload it that Sunday, but I do have two little boys that consume most of my free time and I don't want to publish chapters I'm not happy with just to keep posting a chapter a week! Without further ado…enjoy chapter 14!

…

It was cold and the stench of stale, old, wood permeated the air. Beth had to grit her teeth tighter to keep them from chattering, wrapping her arms around herself to try and keep warm. Daryl had moved to sit closer to the attic ladder, picking at his hands with his knife seemingly unfazed by the low temperatures, and neither of them had said much since they settled in the attic.

They had heard shuffling directly underneath them and Daryl had motioned for her to be quiet. He had then let go of her hand and moved behind the attic door. They would see her, but that didn't matter, because they would be too late to see Daryl. She had counted to sixty fifteen times since Daryl moved.

Beth brought her thumb to her mouth and gnawed on her fingernail. She had too much time to think, waiting for things to quiet down underneath them, and she had gotten tired of counting to sixty after the fiftieth round. With nothing else to dwell on, her mind focused on the man in front of her.

She knew so very little about Daryl, but she supposed none of his past mattered anymore. She knew what kind of person he was now, she had seen it through his good deeds, and that spoke volumes. He had completely redeemed himself in her eyes by the person he had become, in spite of how badly the world had turned, when he could have easily been any other kind of man.

However, that wasn't what her mind continued looping back to replay. What seemed to be bothering her most was their interaction on the porch. She had been caught up with the look in his eyes, the atmosphere they had created on the porch of a house so reminiscent of her own, and she had kissed him. She didn't hand out kisses freely, though knowing Daryl was a man who trusted actions over words, it was meant to be a quick expression of her gratitude toward him.

Then…he kissed her back.

It was different from their first kiss, which had been strictly for comfort, because the second kiss had made her _feel_ something. Happiness, yes, but it went beyond that. She wasn't really sure she could pinpoint any specific label to put on it.

Chewing harder on her nail, she wondered what could possibly be going through Daryl's mind. He wasn't the type to get 'caught up in the moment,' so was he just expressing his own sort of contentment? Was she overthinking the entire situation? Daryl hadn't acted any different towards her, excluding the situation they were in, and he hadn't acted like what had transpired was something he was against. All of which only made everything all the more confusing.

Daryl was strong, dependable, trustworthy, tenderhearted, knowledgeable, and Beth knew him on a level she wasn't sure anyone else could claim. Perhaps Carol or Rick, but she wasn't sure he'd shared with either of them the bits of his past that he had shared with her. So what did it all mean? Did it mean anything in particular? Did she want it to? She herself wasn't sure she knew the depths of her feelings when it came to the man before her. She knew she trusted him with her life and would do anything for him to keep him safe, but that was as far as she had ever paid any mind to her and Daryl. They were a team. Then he went and kissed her back and thrown everything out of its neatly filed state.

Trying to stifle a yawn, the muscles in her jaw went slack and her teeth chattered loudly. The sound was deafening in the silent attic and she bit down on her thumb in order to stop the involuntary movement. After sitting motionless, holding her breath for nearly a full minute, she realized how silly she had been to think anyone would have heard her and wrapped her arms impossibly tighter around her legs. It wasn't until she looked up from the hatch that she realized Daryl was staring at her.

_"What?"_ She mouthed silently.

Flicking the wrist of the arm resting on his knee, Daryl motioned her over to him.

Beth raised her eyebrow in question.

His shoulders heaved in a sigh and he used his knife to point at the spot beside him.

"Oh," Beth breathed.

She forced her frozen limbs to move, feeling the pins and needles sensation that ran along her skin as her blood began flowing, and quietly tiptoed beside Daryl. It was much warmer where he was sitting, away from the wall, and she instantly felt life returning to her aching appendages.

"You're warm," she murmured quietly.

"Attic ain't got insulation. House is probably over ah' hundred years old," Daryl replied softly.

Beth remembered how her father hated to do anything in the attic except during the fall season. It would be too muggy in the spring, too hot in the summer, and too cold in the winter. She empathized with him now; understanding why it was always such an ordeal for him to muster the motivation to get their Christmas decorations out each winter.

"Figures the first place we'd pick would be someone's refuge," Beth sighed.

"I (suppose we've never had the best luck in tha' world," Beth could feel Daryl's breath ghost across the top of her head as he spoke.

"No," she looked up at him, "but we've done alright so far."

Daryl grunted in agreement. She felt him shift closer to her and she welcomed to warmth. They sat quietly for several minutes and Beth wondered if the light feeling she felt had anything to do with her body thawing or everything to do with her proximity to Daryl. Deciding those were dangerous thoughts, she refocused on something that had been nagging at her since she opened that ominous cabinet that had revealed the stash of food.

"I should've listened to you. We should've kept moving. I'm sorry," Beth stared at her fingers as she spoke.

Daryl didn't immediately reply. She could feel him staring at her and after several beats of silence, she willed herself to look up at him again. His eyes, illuminated by the starlight, made his already piercing glare more intense.

"You couldn't have known," his voice sounded rougher than usual, "Don't apologize for things you got no control over. We might not ah' come across any other places and I would've said we head back and check this place out anyhow."

It was true. There wasn't a guarantee that the path they had chosen would lead them to any more houses. Terminus seemed to be several days walk from anything and they knew all the places closer to the direction of the prison had been picked clean.

She leaned her head on Daryl's shoulder and breathed in the smell of oil and pine. Of all the scents she had come across in her life, the fancy colognes or man-made air fresheners, she had never had found a smell as comforting as Daryl's. She faintly remembered how her mother smelled; soft lavender with a hint of vanilla, an odd mix of shampoo and laundry detergent, but that was a different sort of solace. The comfort she associated with her mother was from a different lifetime; when her biggest problems were grades, when Jimmy was going to ask her to the homecoming dance, and how she was going to sneak the clothes she'd borrowed back into Maggie's closet unnoticed. The scent of her mother reminded her of home. Daryl's provided her the luxury of feeling safe in a world full of chaos. That as long as he was around, she would survive.

She supposed that her judgment was a bit biased, as her mother had been one of the first to turn and was unable to make sure Beth stayed safe, whereas Daryl had proven himself capable time and time again.

Closing her eyes, she took another deep breath, "Thank you Daryl."

She was thanking him for several things, but he would probably only connect the thank you with his previous statement about their situation not being her fault.

"Anytime," Daryl mumbled.

…

It was late into the night. The moon was high above them, no longer visible through the small attic window, and there hadn't been any noises underneath them in quite some time. They had decided that if they were going to try and sneak out, now was the time.

"You stay behind me. Stay low. Keep quiet," Daryl whispered as he opened the hatch-like attic door.

Beth nodded once.

Daryl slowly lowered the ladder down to the floor and peered through the opening. His gaze cut to Beth and he slowly began making his way down. Beth followed after and neither one of them wasted any time closing up the attic.

Snoring could be heard from the bedrooms and Beth felt slightly relived that whoever they were, they were blissfully unaware of their presence. Their steps were painstaking slow and Beth's thighs began to burn. It had been weeks since she'd had to sneak around the forest and it was becoming painfully obvious just how quickly she had lost some of her endurance being cooped up in Terminus.

Finally reaching the staircase, Beth knew they were almost home free. She could feel a new surge of adrenaline rushing through her veins with each step she made down the staircase; the wings on Daryl's back once again acting as her guiding light. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he raised his hand and signaled for her to stop. Freezing in place, Beth held her breath and listened. She couldn't hear anything, but the flames from the fire burning in the hearth of the chimney cast unnatural shadows against the walls.

After what felt like an eternity, Daryl began moving again. All they had to do was step around, through the doorway leading from the hallway into the living room, cross the living room to the front door, and then take off down the driveway as fast as their legs could carry them. They could put as much distance between themselves and the house and chalk it up to another inevitable risk of going out on a run.

They hadn't seen anyone yet, which Beth found unnerving, but she wasn't going to question it. They were a halfway through the living room and if these guys didn't have a watch system set-up, it would be their own downfall. She wasn't going to stick around to give them pointers.

Hearing a noise behind her, Beth quickly reached for her crossbow out of habit, and realized it wasn't there. Had she forgotten it upstairs in the attic? She was _never_ without her crossbow. She glanced over her shoulder at the gurgling that could only be attributed to one abomination ravaging the earth, but found the space empty. Turning back to stop Daryl, she panicked when she realized a shadow was standing before them.

Stepping out of the shadows, a wave of nausea overcame her when she recognized the face of the man who she had stabbed on the roof in Terminus. His gun in hand, he fired several rounds, piercing straight through Daryl's torso. Beth screamed as blood and bullets filled the air.

Reaching for her knife, she found the sheath on her belt empty. She was weaponless, wasn't moving from where he had fallen on the floor in front of her, and a dead man now had his sights trained on her. She cried Daryl's name just as the man pulled the trigger once more.

…

Jolting awake, Beth clutched her chest tightly in an effort to slow her racing heart.

"It was just ah' nightmare," she faintly heard a voice beside her whisper.

_Daryl_.

Turning to him, she pulled aside the flaps of his coat and jacket, pressing her hands deftly over his torso. She was sure she probably looked crazy to him, but she had to make sure. When no red liquid appeared on her fingertips and the warmth of his skin through his flannel shirt assured her that he was wholly intact, she sagged into him. Resting her forehead against his collarbone, Beth let out a shuddering breath.

"It was so real," she whispered into his shirt.

She felt him shift and she knew she was making him feel uncomfortable. She knew he probably had no idea what he was supposed to do, but she needed a few moments of being close to him. She needed the reassurance that he wasn't dying on the floor, bleeding out from multiple gunshot wounds, and that it had all been a vivid, horrendous dream.

A weight settled around her shoulders and Beth felt her walls crumble a bit. A sob escaped her lips and the weight around her tightened into an embrace. When Daryl's chin rested atop her head, her walls collapsed and tears spilled from her eyes.

Clutching his shirt with one hand, she used the other to cover her mouth and silence her already muffled cries. She cried because of the dream, because of how stupid she felt for being stubborn and wanting to show Daryl she could handle checking into a house that looked like her old home place, because she missed her mother, her father, her brother, and because nothing in life was fair. She had lost track of how many times she had mentally begged for forgiveness of the lives she had taken. She wept for them as well, fore she knew she was responsible for cutting their lives short, when life was such a precious gift in their world. Every day that she woke up breathing was another gift and yet it was also a curse because she knew that, every day, less and less people had that opportunity.

When her tears finally subsided into silent sobs, Beth removed her hand from her mouth and began wiping her face. She had needed this for quite some time, but people didn't get to lie down and cry anymore. The moment a person laid down, dropped their guard even for a second, they were signing their death certificate.

"What's your favorite food?" She felt Daryl's voice rumble through his chest.

Furrowing her brows, she sat up, wiping her face with the sleeve of her coat, "What?"

"Yer' favorite food," Daryl repeated the end of his question.

Beth took a moment to think, "Macaroni and cheese."

Daryl nodded and looked at her expectantly.

"What's your favorite food?" Beth echoed his inquiry.

"I like chocolate a lot. Mac an' cheese is probably my favorite too though," Daryl answered her.

"Nuh uh. Really?" Beth smiled.

"Swear," Daryl replied.

A giggle slipped past her lips and she sniffled to keep more tears from falling.

"You good at pool?" Daryl asked after several moments of silence.

"Like the game?" Beth clarified.

"Yeah," Daryl nodded.

"I've seen Shawn play. Never actually played it myself," Beth said honestly.

"Now that's a damn shame," Daryl smirked at her.

"I take it you were good?" She probed.

"Merle and I could run tha' table. We hustled our fair share'ah guys dumb enough t'play us. Got ourselves in plenty of trouble because of it too," Daryl's expression took a far off look.

Smirking, his gaze fell to his lap where he had resumed picking at his fingers once Beth had pulled herself away from his hold, "You gonna' be okay?"

The way he looked up at her made her heart race for an entirely different reason. It was just as sharp as his glares always were, but there was a tenderness behind it that Beth had only seen once before. It had been directed at Carol when the two of them had been sitting in the cafeteria of the prison. Beth had been caring for Judith and overheard Carol talking about Sophia. When she glanced back to make sure Carol was okay, the look on Daryl's face had been burned into her memory. However, being on the receiving end of such a look was an entirely different matter.

"I think so," Beth shrugged her shoulders.

"You talked to Maggie 'bout it?" Daryl asked her quietly.

Beth sighed and looked out of the small attic window. The moon was no longer visible, much like in her dream, and she took a moment to listen for sounds of activity beneath them. The house was silent. It was still too cold for insects, but she guessed that she would've probably been able to hear them outside with how quiet it was in the house.

Turning back to Daryl, she answered him, "No. It's hard to talk to Maggie sometimes. I feel like if I show her even the smallest sign that I'm not 'okay' that she's going to start treating me like she did before. Like I was a child that needed to be cared for, rather than someone she could depend on. I don't need her to look out for me."

"Merle…he," Daryl cleared his throat, "Merle was the same way. He called tha' shots. Made all the decisions. Said where we was gonna' go and what we were doin'. Difference with Merle though, he was only lookin' out for himself. He had my back when it mattered, but I was most useful to 'em when I was followin' his orders and not askin' questions. Maggie cares, Beth."

Beth mulled over Daryl's words. She knew he loved his brother, but he knew what everyone else thought of Merle. The thought that he felt he had to tarnish the memory of his brother to put others at ease bothered her.

"Merle cared about you too Daryl. You were his family. You said it yourself; it was just you an' him for the longest. He took care of you the best he knew how. He gave his life tryin' to take out the Governor. That wasn't _just_ for you. Merle cared. He just didn't know how t'show it," Beth met Daryl's gaze with all the intensity she could muster.

Daryl's eyes danced back and forth between Beth's. She could feel him dissecting her words. She would have been offended that he didn't take what she said as truth, but she knew Daryl was exceedingly cynical when it came to his brother.

"Maybe," he settled on in reply.

"I'm pretty sure. I happen to know another Dixon with the same problem," Beth smiled.

Daryl grunted and tightened his mouth, but a smirk still managed to shape his lips.

Beth glanced at Daryl several times from under her lashes. He always had an odd way of making her feel better. He never addressed the issue head-on. He always had a roundabout way of making her see his point. While she appreciated that he cared enough to try and comfort her, she didn't like the way he would use his own life experiences to show her the difference. She knew he had had a rough life, but she didn't need him to degrade himself, or his brother, in order for her to see that Maggie cared about her. If she hadn't been emotionally drained from her spell a few moments ago, she would have brought it up, but she decided it wasn't the appropriate time or place for such a heavy conversation.

"Think they're all asleep down there?" Beth forced herself to ask so she could stop her internal struggle.

"Sounds that way," Daryl answered.

"Ready to get out of here?" She tried not to sound too urgent.

"I think it's safe," Daryl moved in front of the doorway, "Once we're out of here, head straight for the barn. We'll cut across the pasture behind it back to tha' road. Driveway is too open."

"Okay," Beth readily agreed.

Getting up, Beth lightly treaded across the floor and picked up her crossbow. She sighed when the familiar weight of her crossbow hung around her shoulders. Reaching down, she picked up Daryl's and brought it to him. He slung the weapon over his back and squatted down and lifted the hatch-like door to the attic. Beth's nightmare came back in full force. She quickly reached down and pulled her knife from its sheath around her belt. Daryl eyed her wearily, but didn't say anything.

Holding her breath, she watched Daryl lower the ladder to the floor as quietly as possible. He then peered through the opening of the doorway. When he pulled himself back up and turned to her, Beth didn't want to hear whatever words he was about to say.

"I've got your back," she murmured earnestly.

Daryl's eyes narrowed and she could see his jaw muscles tighten. With a nod of his head, he began to slowly make his way down the ladder.

Taking a deep breath, Beth reminded herself that it had all been a dream. She and Daryl would sneak out of the house. They would get to the barn and once they crawled through the fence, it would be smooth sailing back to the road. They would have to watch out of walkers hiding in the foliage, but walkers they could handle. They just had to get out of the house.

Once Daryl was off the ladder, he motioned for her to climb down. Taking one more steadying breath, she placed her foot on the wooden ladder and began her descent. She felt Daryl's hands around her waist, steadying her as she climbed down to the floor. She jerked her head toward the ladder and Daryl shook his head.

She forced herself to think; it would be a wise decision to leave the ladder down, in case they ran into trouble and needed to get back up there and hide. It would be almost impossible to get to them once they pulled the ladder back up and barred the doorway.

Daryl motioned for her to follow him. She squatted down like she had so many times when sneaking through the woods and carefully stepped over the wood floor. She could hear the sounds of those asleep inside the bedrooms and felt her mouth go dry.

Daryl stopped at the top of the staircase and reached a hand back to stop her from running into him. When there wasn't any indication that anyone downstairs was awake, Daryl tugged on her shirt for her to follow behind him. She gripped her knife tightly in her hand and moved to track him down the stairs. Her boots made a soft 'thud' no matter how gently she stepped and she prayed that no one heard them.

Daryl waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. He peeked around the doorway and Beth could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She just wanted to run through the living room and bust through the door, but she knew better than to actually do so.

Daryl's hand wrapped around her free one and he pulled her behind him. The man 'on watch' was fast asleep in the recliner in the living room. Beth could have cried at the new detail that veered away from her dream. The recliner was facing the front door and the man's gun laid in a loose grasp across his chest. As long as they were quiet, they wouldn't have any problems.

Beth could feel herself growing more and more anxious with every step they took towards the door. When Daryl's hand grasped the doorknob, she held her breath. He gently pressed the release latch to open the door, but nothing happened. She glanced back at the man in the chair, making sure he was still asleep, and Beth heard a soft 'click.' She flinched at how loud the sound seemed to her, but the man's snores drowned her worry.

With the door now unlocked, Daryl pressed the release latch once more and the door began to open. Inch by inch, he pulled the door wider until he could fit through the opening. Beth heard the creaking of the screen door and glanced over her shoulder once more. With the man still asleep, Beth felt Daryl pulling her through the doorway.

Once she was through the door and on the porch, just as carefully as he had opened it, he shut the door and carefully pressed the screen door flush against the doorjamb. They cautiously moved across the porch and as soon as their feet hit the dirt, they were sprinting for the barn.

Beth collapsed against the backside of the barn, safely out of view from the house, and _breathed_ for the first time since they had snuck into the attic.

"That went smoother than expected," Daryl wheezed from where he was bent over, his hands cupping his knees.

"Definitely," Beth managed to reply.

There were no walkers in sight and Beth allowed herself a moment to collect her thoughts. They had escaped the house. All that was left was to crawl through the fence and navigate their way through the pasture back to the road.

They were alive, they were as safe as they could be all things considered, and they had managed to escape yet another sketchy situation.

_Now it was smooth sailing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all who always leave me a review! I love hearing your theories of what might happen in future chapters! I always welcome feedback!


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
 **Thank you**** Nicole137137 for editing this beast of a chapter and letting me bounce ideas off of you! You're tha' best!  
  
...  
  
The sun was beginning to rise and Beth was utterly exhausted. They had taken a breath behind the barn, making sure no one had noticed them, before taking off across the pasture and back down the road from the direction they had come. After turning down several more roads, they finally came to a highway. They were now standing in front of a road sign with towns Beth had heard of, but never been to. Daryl, however, seemed to be familiar with their surroundings.  
  
“You know where we’re at?” Beth huffed, looking in all directions but not getting a sense from any of them.  
  
“Yeah. Back that way,” Daryl threw his thumb over his shoulder, “is Lizella. Up ahead should be Macon.”  
  
“So Terminus is close to Macon?” Beth tried to follow Daryl’s thought process.  
  
“I’m thinkin’ so. The other side’ah Macon at least. Means we gotta’ cut through to get back. We could keep goin’ north, make a complete circle, but I think we’d have a better chance findin’ a place to look for supplies if we cut across,” Daryl suggested.  
  
“I think you’re right. Means we’re gonna’ be cuttin’ through a once populated city. What if it’s like what y’all said about Atlanta?” Beth voiced her concern.  
  
“I don’t think they’ll be too many left. Most of ‘em have moved into herds and started roamin’. No food left here,” Daryl replied matter-of-factly.  
  
Beth stared at Daryl for a long moment, never breaking eye contact, and wondered when they had begun referring to these once-human-beings as animals; predators moving on in search of prey. She was well aware that the walkers were no longer people; that they hadn’t a shred of humanity left in their decaying vessels, but she wasn’t sure when she had become so desensitized to viewing them as such.  
  
Daryl broke eye contact first, reaching up to smooth down his facial hair, but Beth continued to stare long after he turned his back to her while trying to get a sense for which direction they should go.  
  
“What d’ya think?” He spoke without looking at her, “We go through or we go around?”  
  
Beth’s eyes zeroed in on the winged patch that was stitched to the back of his leather vest. She knew she’d been staring at him, making him uncomfortable with her wordless gazes, but after her nightmare she found herself subconsciously checking him of any indication that he may be wounded. She knew she was being ridiculous, but her dream had been so vivid. She could smell the gunpowder, taste the coppery sensation of blood, and hear Daryl’s body hitting the floor…lifeless.  
  
“Beth?” Daryl’s voice sounded closer.  
  
Blinking her eyes several times, she realized she was no longer staring at a set of wings, but the front of a button down, flannel shirt.  
  
Beth looked into his crystal blue eyes, “People will have avoided the bigger cities. All of the smaller business’ we come across are gonna’ be picked clean and Judith needs things. Everything we had for her was left at the prison. We need food, bedding, and whatever other supplies we can find for everyone else too. The stockpile in Terminus will only last so long with how many people we have there now. I don’t really think we have much of ‘ah choice. ”  
  
Daryl’s eyes left hers to stare at the ground. He seemed to be weighing her words as he scuffed the asphalt with his boot. She silently waited for the answer she already knew he would give.  
  
“Through it is then,” Daryl finally announced.  
  
Beth took a steadying breath and nodded her head.  
  
“Well keep on this road. It’ll merge a few times, but we should hit the interstate up ahead. Take us right into tha’ Macon area,” Daryl informed her as he began walking down the road in the direction of Macon.  
  
Beth moved into step beside him, “You really think they’ve moved on?”  
  
“Won’t really know ‘til we get there,” he replied brusquely before ending in a softer tone, “I’ll keep ya’ safe.”  
  
Beth tightened her lips and clenched her jaw, forcing herself to keep her face neutral. Daryl had said he’d protect her, keep her safe, dozens of times, but something about the way he said it this time _felt_ different. She also realized it could have nothing to do with Daryl and be the way she received his statement.  
  
“I’ll look out for you too,” she said when she was able to trust her voice.  
  
Daryl glanced over at her, but said nothing.  
  
The only sound Beth could hear was their footsteps against asphalt as they walked in silence.  
  
…  
  
Beth felt like a walker. She was utterly exhausted and running on fumes. Daryl didn’t look like he was fairing much better, but he hadn’t made any mention of stopping to rest. She had at least managed to grab an hour or so of shut-eye, but Daryl hadn’t slept since before their fiasco at the farm house.  
  
“Daryl?” Beth spoke for the first time since their exchange earlier.  
  
“Yeah?” Daryl’s voice sounded rough from disuse.  
  
“When was the last time you slept?” Beth questioned him.  
  
“‘M fine,” Daryl replied all too quickly.  
  
Beth stopped walking, looking for an abandoned vehicle on the desolate interstate that she deemed safe enough to hide in for a few hours. Daryl continued a few paces ahead of her before turning around to face her.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Daryl asked, scanning the area around them.  
  
“I told you I would look out for you. You haven’t slept in almost forty-eight hours,” Beth replied; approaching a black suburban that’s windows were still intact.  
  
“I said I’s fine,” Daryl grumbled.  
  
“You don’t look fine. You look tired,” Beth quipped as she walked around the vehicle and peered into the windows for any signs of a walker being inside.  
  
Daryl must have known that she wasn’t taking no for an answer from the way he followed behind her, knives poised, and ready to take out any walkers they came across. When she opened the door and the only thing that stirred was the dust inside, she climbed into the middle seat. After checking the back seat and trunk area just for good measure, she placed her crossbow in the floorboard and settled into the grimy, gray fabric of the seats.  
  
Looking over at Daryl who was still outside of the suburban, hands on his hips, and facial expression showing every bit of annoyance and fatigue he felt, Beth gently patted the seat next to her and smiled.  
  
“You’re exhausted. Just do me a favor an’ get a few hours of sleep. We’ll be no good if we get too tired and start gettin’ sloppy. What was that phrase you always used t’tell me, ‘Dumb gets ya’ dead?’” Beth performed her best Daryl Dixon impression, “Seriously. Just a few hours. The sun’s barely up. It’ll still be daylight in a few hours.”  
  
“Why don’t cha’ jus’ worry about yer’self. I said I’m fine,” Daryl grouched as his eyes scanned the area around them.  
  
“Daryl,” Beth sighed.  
  
They were at a stalemate. Neither one of them was moving and Beth knew she was being stubborn, but it was for a good reason. The fact that Daryl wasn’t putting more effort into being a jerk to her for ‘trying to tell him what to do’ was proof enough of how tired he actually was.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, but in actuality was only a few minutes, Daryl handed her his crossbow and climbed into the suburban, shutting the door behind him. Leaning through the two front seats, Beth was pleasantly surprised by the ‘clicking’ sound she heard after pressing the lock button. If this was a smaller, more maneuverable vehicle, she would suggest driving it to Terminus. However, bigger was not always better and in a world where a person needed to be able to run at the drop of a hat, they need something that could make sharp turns and get out of cramped places fairly easy.  
  
Sitting back down next to Daryl, she glanced at him only to find his head already back against the headrest with his eyes closed.  
  
“Such a stubborn man,” Beth breathed.  
  
“I ain’t stubborn,” Daryl murmured, “jus’ don’t like people tellin’ me what t’do.”  
  
Beth gave Daryl a flat stare.  
  
“Quit lookin’ at me like that,” Daryl added after a few seconds; his eyes never opening.  
  
Beth smiled, “I’m not tryin’ t’tell you what to do. I’m tryin’ to keep you alive. I told you I’d look out for you.”  
  
Leaning her head on Daryl’s shoulder, Beth focused her eyes on the road in front of them. There were hundreds, if not thousands of empty cars lining the road. There were even cars on the shoulders and she could only imagine the chaos that occurred when people began turning and there was nowhere to run.  
  
Beth felt a pressure on the top of her head and a warm sensation ghost across her skin every few seconds. Wrapping her arms Daryl’s arm, getting as comfortable as she could for the hours ahead, she breathed in pine, sweat, and oil. She couldn’t imagine her hair smelled any better, but Daryl didn’t seem to care as he rested his head against hers.  
  
It was as she sat there, watching for any signs of danger while Daryl’s even breathing indicated his slumber, that she considered just how much her life had changed. Glancing down at her wrist, realizing she had never gotten her bracelets back from Judith, her scar was a bright pink against her pale skin. She would always regret her feeble attempt to end her life, not for the simple fact that she had been selfish, cowardly, but also because of the people it would have affected. It would have immediately affected her father, Maggie, and Jimmy, but it would have also altered Judith’s future. How would it have had an influence on Daryl’s life? They had meant nothing to each other back then, but now… _now_ things were different. If she had succeeded in the attempt, where would Daryl be now? Who would be sitting in this car with him? She had to all but drag him around for the first few days after the prison fell, would he have even made it back to Rick and everyone else?  
  
Tightening her hold around Daryl’s upper arm, she ended her thoughts on ‘what if’ scenarios and concentrated on keeping her eyes open long enough for Daryl to get some rest. She was still alive and Daryl trusted her to look after him while he slept. That was all that mattered at the moment.Everything else she could figure out when they were securely behind the suffocating fences and walls that made Terminus.  
  
…  
  
Beth had caught herself nodding off twice before Daryl finally awoke from his nap. Beth wasn’t sure if he was stiff and rigid from falling asleep the way he had or if he had been uncomfortable with how close he had gotten to her in his sleep. From the lack of eye contact and how many times he cleared his throat, Beth was pretty sure it was the latter.  
  
Daryl looked more refreshed as they made their way into the city. Beth had never been more grateful for her stubborn streak because with each step they took, Daryl’s theory was proven to be vastly inaccurate once they got into Macon. They had managed to sneak past several clusters, but the further in they traveled, the more walkers they saw.  
  
Most of the surrounding buildings were unrecognizable. The displays, once sporting glass in the front windows, were now shattered and ransacked. Abandoned vehicles and backstreets provided cover, but Beth knew they needed to get out of the city. They had yet to come across a store that would have bolts for their crossbows and they had no guns. Their only defense was the knives strapped to their belts.  
  
Daryl motioned for her to get down and Beth dropped to the ground behind the truck they were currently using to hide themselves from the walkers. The two or three roamers weren’t anything they couldn’t handle. It was when those two or three got excited and started making a ruckus that attracted ten, twenty, or even an entire herd that they had to avoid at all costs.  
  
Beth moved around to the side of the truck and pressed her back against the rear tire. Daryl was crouched near the front of the truck, watching the threat that Beth couldn’t see. Taking a deep breath, she moved next to Daryl, staying low, and waited for him to give her a sign that they could keep moving.  
  
It was hard to differentiate where the groans were coming from. For a city full of the dead, Macon sounded more alive than any place she’d been since the fall of the prison. Turning away from Daryl, she tried to keep herself from yelling to Daryl as a walker rounded the end of the truck where she had just been standing. Thinking on her feet, Beth swept her foot against the walker’s ankles, effectively causing the abomination to crumble to the ground in a sickening ‘crack.’ She then lunged and drove her knife through its skull, imbedding the hilt into the walker’s forehead.  
  
She would suggest they cover themselves in blood, like Glenn had told her he and Rick had done back in Atlanta, but there wasn’t enough of the walker left to use as camouflage. It was literally deteriorated so much that Beth couldn’t tell if it had once been a man or a woman. The only prominent features on its face were the straight white teeth that were exposed from the lack of flesh to cover them.  
  
“Daryl,” Beth hissed, “we have to get out of here.”  
  
Daryl turned to her, his expression dark as he glanced between her and the walker, and motioned for her to follow him with a flick of his wrist.  
  
Beth promptly followed Daryl down a back alley. She stood flush against his back, ignoring how his crossbow dug into her skin, as she waited for Daryl to start moving again. Glancing over her shoulder for the umpteenth time, Beth kept a vigilant eye to make sure nothing snuck up behind them.  
  
Startled by a pressure around her fingers, Beth snapped her eyes down to see that Daryl had reached back and grabbed her hand. Her eyes then followed his arm up to his shoulder until she was staring into his blue eyes.  
  
“Let’s go,” he whispered while pulling her behind him.  
  
Beth held onto his hand as if it were the only thing anchoring her to the ground. They weaved between buildings and behind cars until they came to a strip mall. To their right looked like an overpass from another interstate and to their left were rows of buildings that had once been assorted stores ranging from furniture to clothing and accessories. There weren’t many walkers in this area and Beth began to wonder if they _were_ all beginning to migrate out of town.  
  
“Daryl, look,” Beth pointed to a sporting goods store that was across the parking lot at the end of the row of buildings, “think there’s any bolts left?”  
  
“Not too many people usin’ a crossbow. Windows are all busted, but we might find somethin’,” Daryl stated, releasing her hand, “I’ll check it out. You wait right here.”  
  
Beth watched Daryl cross the parking lot and disappear within the sea of deserted vehicles. She felt her heart sinking further with each minute that passed with no sign of Daryl. Adjusting her crossbow higher on her back, Beth searched the area in front of her. The sun was high over her head and she guessed it to be sometime around noon.  
  
She could feel the sweat dripping down her brow, could hear the groans of the undead and their shuffling on unsteady feel, but she couldn’t see Daryl anywhere. Just as she was about to get up to go after him, she felt a presence behind her.  
  
“Geez,” she sighed, “about ti-”  
  
She abruptly stopped when a gurgling moan emanated behind her. She was suddenly thrown forward onto her stomach as a weight settled onto her back. Snapping and snarling sounded next to her ear. She scrambled to get her arms underneath her so she could push herself up, but the weight against her proved to be more than she could push off.  
  
The walker’s teeth clamped down on the limb of her crossbow, the weapon acting as a shield to protect her from the walker’s deadly jaws. Beth began to panic as the walker grabbed at her clothed arms. She knew it would only be a matter of time before more were attracted by the sound, but even with her knife in hand, she couldn’t risk reaching back to blindly stab and chance getting bit.  
  
Calming herself, she decided to try a different tactic. Knowing she wasn’t strong enough to push herself straight up, with how the walker was on right side more than her left, she decided to try pushing off at an angle and get away from it. Maneuvering her arms to be able to push off at the angle she needed, Beth thrust her left shoulder backwards as hard as she could, her right digging painfully into the ground as the walker slide off her shoulder.  
  
Scrambling away, Beth adjusted the grip of her knife in hand and thrust it through the eye socket of the hefty walker. This walker was different from the rest. It was a more recent turn as it still had all of its distinguishing features and fatty tissue. Even the blood, as it pooled around the blade of her knife, held a slightly red tint. Beth felt an ounce of remorse for the poor soul who had been so viciously attacked, if the bite marks and torn tissue were any indication of how he succumbed to the virus. Pulling her knife from the oozing wound, Beth wiped the blood on her jeans and returned to where she had been just moments before, waiting for Daryl.  
  
She heard a noise to her right and instantly turned, ready to attack, when she recognized the familiar face.  
  
“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” Beth breathed.  
  
“What happened here?” Daryl looked between her and the walker.  
  
“It snuck up behind me. I took care of it,” Beth tried not to sound too shaken up.  
  
“You alright?” Daryl checked her over, his eyes zeroing in on the fresh blood on her jeans.  
  
Daryl was beside her in an instant, his hands gripping her thigh, searching for a wound.  
  
“It’s not my blood,” Beth placed her hands on Daryl’s to stop his frantic examination.  
  
He looked up at her with furrowed brows.  
  
“It’s not my blood Daryl,” she repeated quietly.  
  
Relief visibly flooded his features as he dropped his head, his hands still clutching her leg. After several moments, his grip loosened and he removed his hands, never making eye contact with her. Beth watched him run a hand down his face and felt an urge to reach out to him; to comfort him. She knew Daryl would feel uncomfortable by such a gesture, or at least she thought he would, but she wasn’t so sure now. They had kissed twice, both for reasons Beth could easily categorize as being in the moment, but this urge was new to her. She’d never felt the need to touch Daryl like she was feeling in this moment.  
  
Shaking her head, she cleared her throat, “Think it’s worth checkin’ out?”  
  
“Place looked pretty trashed,” Daryl replied roughly, “We might find somethin’ though. I’m thinkin’ most people went for bullets.”  
  
“Then let’s go look. I’ll feel much better when I can use my crossbow again,” Beth admitted with a smile.  
  
“You an’ me both,” Daryl agreed.  
  
Following behind Daryl as he took the same path he had earlier, she realized what had taken him so long; there were corpses littering the ground with black blood pooling around fresh kill wounds. For some unknown reason, Beth found herself irritated with him. Daryl had proven time and time again that he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but that didn’t mean he had to go on a walker-killing-spree without her there to back him up.  
  
When she replayed her last thought in her head, Beth decided she wasn’t upset that she wasn’t there to back him up, but more so that he had deliberately put himself in harm’s way when they could have taken the walker’s out together.  
  
“I could’ve helped you,” Beth said in a hushed tone as they approached the front of the sporting goods store.  
  
“Whadn’t no trouble. I don’t need help takin’ out a few walkers,” Daryl said as they stepped through the broken display glass and held his hand out to Beth expectantly.  
  
“Still,” Beth argued, pulling her flashlight out of her pack and handing it to Daryl, “I could’ve helped you.”  
  
“No reason to get both of us out in tha’ open when I could take ‘em out by myself,” Daryl replied, accepting the flashlight and began toward the archery section.  
  
Beth thought for a moment, translating what Daryl had said into what Daryl had meant, and she recognized that Daryl wasn’t saying that he didn’t need her help or that he didn’t _want_ her help, but that he didn’t want to risk something happening to her.  
  
Trying to feign her prior annoyance, which had abruptly dissipated after understanding what Daryl was telling her, Beth grumbled, “Next time you tell me to stay, I’m going to follow you anyway.”  
While most of the shelves within the store were barren, the archery section still had numerous items ‘in stock.’ Beth grabbed several replacement cables, lubricating oils, and other accessories; stuffing them into her backpack. Daryl had six bolts already filling his attached quiver and six more in hand.  
  
“Lemme’ see your crossbow,” Daryl reached his hand out to remove her weapon from over her shoulder.  
  
Beth shrugged her crossbow off her shoulder while Daryl fitted it with bolts. The added weight as she reclaimed her weapon was a huge relief. Daryl grabbed several more bolts and stuffed them into her backpack, leaving the fletching to stick out of the top of her bag.  
  
“Let’s get outta’ here ‘fore more walkers show up,” Daryl spoke quietly.  
  
“Lead the way,” Beth said with a smile.  
  
Never in a million years did she think she would be happier about finding bolts for her crossbow more than she had ever been about a Christmas or birthday. Life in the apocalypse had definitely changed her perspective on wants and needs.  
  
“Bolts are definitely much better than a frozen yogurt or a pet pony,” Beth spoke lightly as she followed behind Daryl.  
  
“What in tha’ hell are you talkin’ ‘bout?” Daryl threw over his shoulder as he navigated them through the dark store.  
  
“Nothin’,” Beth shook her head even though she knew Daryl couldn’t see her.  
  
Beth decided that as soon as they got back to Terminus, she would be searching for alcohol. After the disastrous trip they’d had, she felt like they deserved another round of ‘I’ve Never.’ Hopefully this time Daryl wouldn’t get angry with her and her have to suggest burning down a building to make amends.  
  
When they were back in the parking lot, Beth felt herself wanting nothing more than to run back to the suburban they had come across earlier that morning, curl into a ball, and go to sleep. If Daryl called her a hypocrite now, she would have no argument against his claims. She had gone forty-eight hours with only an hour or two of sleep and her body was beginning to feel the effects.  
  
“Looks like there’s a grocery store down that ah’way,” Daryl pointed to the other end of the strip mall, “Glass looks t’be intact.”  
  
“That’s a Super Target,” Beth clarified, “they should have pretty much everything.”  
  
“Looks like we found a place for our next run,” Daryl pulled out a map from his back pocket. Bending down, he picked up a rock, and scratched a marker on the map.  
  
“Think we should at least check it out?” Beth inquired.  
  
Daryl looked her up and down, “I think you need sleep. We told Rick we’d scout out places for a supply run. We’ll come back after we’re rested up. Ain’t no tellin’ how many walkers are inside there.”  
  
Daryl had a good point. They had lucked out with the sporting goods store being devoid of walkers, but this store still had solid, glass doors. Unless a rear exit door was opened, anything inside the Super Target had been trapped in there for an uncertain amount of time. With their goal of locating a place to scout for supplies accomplished, Beth knew that their next priority was making it home in one piece.  
  
“Think any of these vehicles work?” Beth asked, looking around the parking lot.  
  
“I saw somethin’ earlier that I wanna’ check out,” Daryl declared as he folded up the map and replaced it in his pants pocket.  
  
“What is it?” Beth asked as they slunk across the hot asphalt.  
  
Beth could feel the heat rising from the blacktop and had to use all the willpower she could muster to stay low to the ground. Daryl led her back to the middle of the parking lot where a motorcycle was parked.  
  
“A motorcycle,” Beth stated the obvious.  
  
“ _A motorcycle_. This is a _Triumph_ Scrambler. This has got an 865 cc DOHC four-stroke twin engine, five-speed transmission, and she’ll top out at about ah’hundred and five miles per hour,” Daryl recited as he fiddled with the tubes and wires leading into the engine.  
  
Beth couldn’t help but laugh.  
  
“What?” Daryl asked defensively, furrowing his brows as he stood and unscrewed the gas cap.  
  
“I have absolutely no idea what any of that means. I do know that one hundred miles per hour is fast. The rest of it is lost t’me,” Beth answered him with a genuine smile.  
  
Daryl huffed and replaced the cap covering the gas tank, “Means we got us a ride back to Terminus,” he replied before turning over the key to the ignition and bringing to motorcycle roaring to life.  
  
There was an immediate change in the atmosphere. Beth could _feel_ the walker’s zeroing in on them. Daryl took off his crossbow and stepped over the bike to sit on the seat, placing his weapon in his lap. He looked to Beth and she found herself hesitant to get on the Scrambler.  
  
“You gonna’ get on? Or are we waitin’ for the walkers to swarm us?” Daryl’s voice was laced with sarcasm.  
  
“Daddy said to never get on a motorcycle with a man,” Beth teased, having to raise her voice to speak over the deafening engine.  
  
Daryl scoffed and patted the seat behind him. Swinging her leg over the black vehicle, Beth sat on the seat behind Daryl. She wasn’t sure where to put her arms and decided to gently rest her hands against his sides.  
  
“You’re gonna’ fall off like that,” Daryl yelled over his shoulder as he reached down and grabbed her wrists, wrapping her arms so tightly around his torso that her cheek pressed against his back.  
  
Beth was about to comment when Daryl twisted his wrists and the motorcycle hurdled from where it had been parked. Her arms involuntarily tightened around him as she held on. She had never been on a motorcycle before and the feeling of the wind against her face was foreign, but welcome.  
  
“We’re gonna’ drive back the way we came, then circle back toward Terminus. Get tha’ walkers movin’ away from here,” Daryl informed her as he opened the throttle.  
  
Beth nodded against his back. She was glad he was still able to think rationally as all she could think about was how grateful she was to be off her feet.  
  
She was impressed but how seamlessly Daryl weaved through traffic, but it wasn’t until they were on the outskirts of town, finally making their way toward the first railroad intersection they found, that Beth could truly appreciate the feeling of freedom one felt from riding a motorcycle.  
With Daryl no longer having to maneuver the motorcycle at a slower pace, the steady thrum of the engine and the cool air rushing through her hair and across her skin was bliss. She would have yelled to Daryl how amazing it felt if she had had the energy and would have been willing to ruin the moment. Instead she chose to rest her head against Daryl’s broad back and watch the scenery as they passed it by.  
  
As she lay there, she noticed the front of a silver car sitting at a stop sign. As they flew past the ‘T’ intersection, Beth’s eyes made contact with a man in the driver’s seat. She felt her heart drop through her feet and shatter on the road beneath them. She _recognized_ those eyes. They had haunted her dreams for an entire winter before she reunited with Daryl.  
  
“Daryl!” She screamed.  
  
Daryl immediately slowed down, “What is it?”  
  
“Don’t slow down!” Beth yelled while she looked over her shoulder.  
  
Behind them, the car turned the opposite way and Beth got a clear view of the white cross, so reminiscent to the one on the black car that had abducted her, painted on the back windshield. She felt Daryl twist in the seat, apparently looking for what had so raptly gained her attention. When he twisted back, Beth felt the motorcycle lurch from the amount of force he had slammed on the throttle.  
  
…  
  
When they parked the bike at the gates it was mid-afternoon. Beth’s muscles ached from exhaustion and her body begged for sleep, but the adrenaline rush she had felt from seeing the car still coursed through her veins.  
  
Opening the gates and walking inside, Beth was surprised at the relief she felt. When they had left, the feeling of being out in the wilderness had been exhilarating, but having gone through the past two days in the manner they had, being safely behind brick walls and barbed wire fences put her at ease.  
  
The lookouts on the roof must have passed the word of their return because as soon as Beth rounded the corner to the common area, she saw Maggie along with Glenn and Tara and three bags on the ground.  
  
Maggie rushed to her, wrapping her arms around her so tightly that Beth felt her back ‘pop’ in several places.  
  
“I’m so glad you’re back. Everythin’ go alright?” Maggie asked when she pulled back from the suffocating embrace.  
  
“We got into a few tight spots, but we’re okay,” Beth replied as honestly as she could, “What’s with tha’ bags?”  
  
“We’re hopin’ you guys came back with a place to look for supplies,” Maggie answered.  
  
“But we just got back?” Beth looked from Maggie to Glenn who was taking the map Daryl had marked on earlier.  
  
“Judith needs food. We don’t have enough bedding. We can’t afford to wait around and someone else find wherever you guys went,” Maggie took the authoritative tone she always used when she would try to scold Beth.  
  
Beth wanted to argue, but having been on her own and knowing the desperation of needing supplies, she understood. She had been shielded from so much at the prison and even with Daryl. Being on her own had opened her eyes to beyond surviving walkers, but to surviving the elements and people as well.  
  
“We’ll walk you guys to the gate,” Beth said softly.  
  
She exchanged a look with Daryl, but neither one of them spoke while they waited for Glenn, Maggie, and Tara to gather their things. The silence continued until they reached the gate and Beth gave her sister another bone crushing hug.  
  
“Be safe. Watch each other’s back. If it gets messy, get out of there,” Beth whispered to Maggie.  
  
“This ain’t our first trip Bethy,” Maggie pulled back and said with a smile, “We’ll be back before you know it!”  
  
Beth held her sister’s hand tightly, understanding how Maggie must have felt as she left with Daryl just days before.  
  
“I’ll look after them,” Glenn said, reaching around to give Beth a hug.  
  
“I know you will. You be careful too,” Beth let go of Maggie to returns Glenn’s embrace.  
  
Stepping back, she gave Glenn a smile. He then moved to speak with Daryl and she turned her attention to Tara.  
  
“Watch yourself out there,” Beth approached the older girl to give her a hug.  
  
“Thanks,” Tara’s awkward embrace made Beth smile.  
  
“You’re part of our group now. We look after each other and we’ll be waiting for you to get back,” Beth tried to reassure her.  
  
Tara’s reply was a quick smile and a nod.  
  
Daryl was off to the side talking quietly with Glenn as she came to stand beside him. Reaching down, she laced her fingers between his, and tried to shake the ominous feeling she had as she watched her sister leave.  
  
“I warned Glenn about the car you saw,” Daryl informed her.  
  
Beth bit at the inside of her cheek, trying to keep all her worries behind her lips. Knowing she needed to say something, she settled on one question that would answer them all.  
  
“You think they’ll be alright?” Beth’s voice sounded weak to her own ears.  
  
Daryl gently squeezed her hand, “Maggie’s tough as nails. Glenn’s smart. Tara seems t’ be able to handle ah’ gun.”  
  
“I see what you did there,” Beth looked up at him and sighed at how he avoided answering her question.  
  
She knew Daryl was trying to comfort her in his own way, reassuring her of everything they knew to be true, but he wasn’t going to promise her things he couldn’t guarantee. Daryl was an honest man and she respected him for it.  
  
“Come’on. Rick‘s gonna’ want details on our trip and then we have some sleep t’catch up on,” Daryl said with a smirk, tugging her beside him as he turned away from the front gates.  
  
Beth allowed him to pull her away, but cast one last glance over her shoulder to watch her sister and brother-in-law’s retreating forms. She trusted Glenn and she knew Maggie could take care of herself. While she didn’t know Tara that well, she had never felt any ill will from the girl.  
  
Maggie would be back in a day or two. If they took too long, she knew she would have no trouble in talking Daryl into going out with her to find them. Right now, they had more important issues to worry about. Beth was absolutely sure she recognized the man in the car they had passed and she wasn’t sure how Daryl would handle that information when he found out. The man had most definitely seen which direction they were heading and it wouldn’t take much to figure out they were all at Terminus.  
  
With Terminus being labelled as a sanctuary on signs for miles around, there were bound to be more people looking for refuge. They would have to be very careful about who they let in from now on. Beth would never forget that man’s face, but she couldn’t say whether he was working with others or not.  
  
Saying a quick prayer to her father, Beth turned back to face the front. They would just have to handle obstacles as they arose. She would have to have faith that everything would be alright.  
 _  
Please Daddy…keep everyone safe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to know how Glenn, Maggie, and Tara's trip go, read The Weak Can Never Forgive. I will be incorporating what happens in the one-shot in the next chapter, but it's not absolutely necessary to read to know what's going on in chapter 16. Consider it more of a side story! It is a one shot that I wrote for NoSecretsHere character-death competition. I was given Tara, a character that I have never written much and had to have her killed by a member of the group. I felt like writing something 'out of the box' and I loved the end result of my one-shot so much I knew I had to incorporate it into my story somehow. If people like the idea, I'll consider writing more 'behind the scenes' stories of what goes one outside of Daryl and Beth in my For the Ones Universe! Check it out and let me know what you think!
> 
> ALSO! I did A LOT of research for this chapter (and the one-shot I referred to above) in regards to actual locations in Macon that could overlap with my story. While TWD doesn't ever actually say WHERE in Georgia they are, if you take the map of Terminus and overlay it with the map of Georgia, Terminus looks like it's in the Macon area. So I took that and mapped out where stores were in retrospect to where Daryl and Beth were travelling and came up with this chapter! Yes…there is an actual Dick's Sporting Goods and Target located in the same area off of Presidential Parkway…at least according to Google.
> 
> Yes, the Triumph Scrambler is a tribute to Norman's actual motorcycle that he cruises around Georgia. I am not motorcycle savvy, but I wanted to give Daryl his moment to express his love for bikes.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
 **Thank you**** Nicole137137 for editing and re-editing this chapter. I was very picky about this one so thanks for staying up late with me until I was satisfied enough to post!

...

When Beth awoke she was aware of two things; firstly that her mouth felt like sandpaper and secondly that her body ached in places she had forgotten it were possible. Stretching her arms and legs where she stood beside her mattress, she felt her triceps and calves cramping up from overexertion and fell limp back onto her bed.

Rick had told them to get some sleep. He was adamant that the details could wait until after they'd both had a good night's rest, but Beth knew she needed to tell them who she had seen driving that car. She was absolute, one hundred percent sure that it was the same man who had abducted her. She would never forget those hollow, dark eyes and the way his skeletal-like fingers felt around her neck.

Sitting back up and resting her elbows on her knees, cradling her face in her hands, Beth squeezed her eyes shut and willed the bile she felt rising in her throat to go down.

"Beth?" Daryl's voice cut through the silence in her room.

Beth took a deep breath and looked up at him, forcing a small smile on her lips, "I'm fine. Just a little sore."

Daryl eyed her and she knew he probably saw through her words, but he didn't say anything.

"You ready to talk to Rick?" Beth asked as she stood, foregoing the stretching this time around.

"I came by t'pick you up," Daryl answered from where he stood in her doorway.

Beth held his gaze. Neither of them looked away from one another and Beth felt herself _really_ seeing Daryl for the first time. She saw beyond the 'Daryl who could defend himself,' 'Daryl the protector,' 'Daryl the provider,' and saw Daryl the man. His appearance was just as rough as his demeanor, but his eyes were almost honest. If ever she couldn't read his body language, his eyes expressed how he truly felt.

She took a few steps toward her doorway, decreasing the distance between them, and found herself having to look up to continue staring into his eyes. He was the same height as most of the guys in their group, but he towered over her. He was leaner than when they had first met, his body having hardened after so many months on the road fighting for survival, and Beth decided that while he probably wasn't at a healthy weight, he was still handsome.

She furrowed her brows. Had she really just found herself thinking Daryl was handsome? He had qualities that were ideal for living in a world ravaged by man-eating atrocities and she wasn't going to deny that she had felt a connection with him that was far deeper than mere friendship. Daryl made her feel safe and had brought out a strength within her she hadn't known she possessed, but this was the first time she had caught herself thinking of Daryl as attractive.

"Sure you're okay?" Daryl inquired while narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah," Beth smiled more genuinely, "Let's go find Rick."

Giving her one last once over, Daryl turned and began walking down the long hallway to the building exit. Beth stayed a few paces behind, quietly watching the wings across his back. His tanned, toned arms swung gently at his sides and his walk was so distinctly 'Daryl' that Beth knew she would easily be able to spot him in a crowd. His shoulders were more squared. He looked at you in the eyes when he spoke. He had confidence in himself, albeit _too_ much sometimes, but the Daryl she knew now and the Daryl she had met on her farm were stark contrasts.

"You comin'?" He paused and asked over his shoulder.

His tone was rough, but his eyes barely concealed his concern.

Being away from Merle had allowed Daryl to grow into his own. Her heart ached for all he had been through, first being separated and then ultimately his brother's death, but they had shaped the Daryl she knew now. If Merle had stayed around, there was a chance that _this_ Daryl would have never existed.

She felt a slight twinge in her chest at the thought. Realizing she hadn't answered him, she shook off her thoughts and replied, "Right behind ya'!"

Walking side-by-side, Beth decided she would have to more thoroughly examine just what her thoughts were regarding the man beside her at another time. She had important information to tell Rick and Daryl. She knew Daryl would always blame himself for what happened to her by opening the front door of the mortuary no matter what she said. Guilt and anger were a dangerous combination, especially when the combination existed within Daryl Dixon. She honestly wasn't sure how he would react to the news and as they walked, she began playing every possible scenario in her head and how she could most effectively put out the fire.

…

They found Rick talking with Michonne in one of the buildings directly off of the courtyard. There were maps and papers all over the room and Beth deduced that it had acted as a sort of headquarters for the original members of Terminus. Rick looked up as they entered the room, glancing between the two of them, and moving around the desk he was standing behind.

"Glad to see you're both lookin' a little less worse for wear," Rick said as he patted Daryl on the shoulder.

"Good night's sleep will do that for you," Michonne commented while she approached Beth and gave her a tight squeeze, "I'm glad you two made it back safely."

"Nothin' we couldn't handle," Daryl replied confidently.

Beth looked up at him and narrowed her eyes, her disbelief obvious without having to say anything.

"Glad t'hear it," Rick replied.

Beth turned her attention away from Daryl to look up at Rick who was now standing closer to her. Smiling, she stood up on her toes and gave him a light kiss on the cheek, as had once been their customary greeting when Rick would come back from a run.

She didn't view him as a second dad, although realistically with Rick's age he could have had her in his early twenties, but as more of an uncle type role. He reminded her so much of her father in some ways and in other's they were polar opposites.

"So," Rick began, leaning back on the desk covered in maps, "What'd you find?"

Daryl proceeded to tell Rick and Michonne the details of their trip, while Beth would interject and add details as was needed. She wanted to immediately jump in and voice her issue with the driver of the silver car, but decided to wait until Rick was able to ask all of his questions first.

"You think there's enough stuff off the interstate there to drive some vehicles over an' load up?" Rick inquired after Daryl had finished the last details of their trip.

"That place was covered in walker's when we left. Can't really say for sure 'til Glenn, Maggie, an' that other chick-"

"Tara," Beth clarified.

"Until Glenn, Maggie, and Tara get back," Daryl finished without skipping a beat.

"Alright," Rick nodded, "Knowin' it's there is good enough. At least it's a start."

"You think those men had any idea you guys were there?" Michonne asked solemnly, "Should we handle them?"

Beth knew what to 'handle' someone in this day and age meant. The thought of having more blood on her hands made her sick, but she was no longer naïve in thinking it wasn't bound to happen again. She would eventually come across someone who would give her an ultimatum and she had too many reasons to live to give up.

"There's signs about this place all over," Daryl pointed out, "Ain't gonnna' be hard for nobody to find where we're at. Just have to try an' sort out the good from the bad."

"We know. There's a map on tha' table here that indicates the location of every sign they put up," Rick jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

"We're going to send people out and start taking most of them down. Leave a few. There are a lot of miles to cover," Michonne stated, glancing back at the map on the table.

Beth's blood ran cold. Hearing Daryl say how easy they were to find made Beth feel sick for completely different reason. She had no idea what had happened to her captor. She never made it into the house so she couldn't definitively say whether he was working alone or if there were others. She did stay long enough to check the place for more vehicles. She wasn't sure if that house would have been her final resting place or if they would have kept her alive.

She had never entertained the idea that her abductor would have survived or if walkers had gotten to him while he was unconscious. She hadn't counted him amongst the list of those she'd 'handled,' but she never thought she'd see him again. It was more of an 'out of sight out of mind' situation. She had taken his car and drove it until it ran out of gas. She had felt like she had driven _miles_ away from the house he had taken her to, but in actuality, she had no idea where she had been or how far she had travelled. She had wandered until she had felt safe, but with how many roads she had taken trying to get back to Daryl, she could have driven in circles. The signs about the sanctuary of Terminus all over Georgia, she realized he could have been skulking about for a while now. They'd been in Terminus for weeks.

"What're we doin' about the ones in the boxcars?" Daryl interrupted her panicked thoughts.

"Well…we've been talkin,'" Rick began, "Abraham is adamant about getting Dr. Porter to Washington D.C. at all costs."

"Basically means he's going with or without our help," Michonne translated.

"Let 'em go if they wanna' go," Daryl replied, flicking his wrist in the air as if brushing them off.

"If Eugene really has a cure...if he can end _this_ ," Rick motioned around them, "We need to make it our priority to get him there."

"What're you sayin'?" Beth asked, already knowing the answer.

"Gareth and his group can't be trusted t'be integrated into our group. We can't let them go either. They get enough people behind 'em, they'll take us all out," Rick explained.

"Jus' kill 'em," Daryl grumbled.

"You think you can line 'em all up and be a firing squad?" There was no trace of malice or sarcasm in Rick's voice.

Daryl sighed and Beth glanced over at him to see him scowling at his feet.

"I will do _anything_ to keep our family safe. Whatever it takes, _no matter_ the cost, but we're not murderers. They've done _terrible_ things. They can't be trusted. They can't leave. They can't stay. The only thing we have in common with them is wanting to put an' end to tha' walkers," Rick continued.

There was a moment of silence and Beth stepped closer to Daryl. She hadn't even realized she had done so until she felt his shoulder press closer to hers.

"They've agreed to help us get Abraham's group to Washington in exchange for their families to remain safely within Terminus," Michonne spelled it out for them.

"Are you serious?" Beth couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"We can't trust those fuckers. They'll slit our throats tha' first chance they get," Daryl practically roared.

"I don't trust 'em either, alright?" Rick stepped forward, "But I'll risk their lives before I'd risk any of ours."

Suddenly it clicked. Beth pictured Rick and a few others walking behind the people who volunteered to help the group. Her people having their hands on their guns, ready to pull the trigger the first sign of foul play. If no one from their group came back, the volunteer's families in Terminus would be as good as dead. If they ran into walkers, their group would look out for each other and leave everyone else to fend for themselves. The people in the boxcars would literally be used for extra man power against the walkers and nothing more.

"Gareth agreed to the deal. If we manage to pull this off and Eugene can create a cure or a vaccine…Carl and Judith have a shot at a _real_ future. Everyone could live _normal_ lives," Rick's voice softened as he spoke of what could be.

"You really think that guy knows how t'end this shit?" Daryl stared straight into Rick's eyes.

"It's a chance we have t'take," Rick answered after several moments of silence.

"Rick and I have asked around for people willing to come with us. Maggie and Glenn have agreed to come. Tyreese, Carol, Bob, and Sasha have all volunteered to come if we needed them," Michonne listed off the names of people Beth had already anticipated.

"What about Carl? Judith? Taking them on a trip like that…Carl can defend himself, but he shouldn't…" Beth didn't know what she was trying to say. She just knew that she felt like whoever left, it would be the last time she ever saw them.

"Carl and Judith are staying here. Carl isn't gonna' like it, but I can't risk their lives. If this turns out to be a dead end," Rick's words trailed off, "I don't want Judith to be alone."

Beth understood. Maggie was all that she had left. She knew she had everyone else in the group. That they were _all_ family, but Maggie was the only living relative that still existed in the world.

"I want you there with us," Rick addressed Daryl with the words Beth had been dreading most.

She knew those words weren't meant for her and she knew that the person receiving them wouldn't be able to refuse. Rick was telling Daryl he _needed_ him there. That he _trusted_ him. They _depended_ on him. Daryl wouldn't refuse them.

"We need someone to stay with Judith and Carl. Someone we trust to keep them safe," Michonne added vaguely.

Michonne hadn't outright directed the comment to her, but she knew that they weren't suggesting Daryl stay behind and keep the children safe. Glaring at a spot on the floor where the concrete had chipped away and left a hole, Beth felt herself growing frustrated. Words failed her and she willed herself to move. She could hear the murmurs of the continued conversation around her even as she turned and walked out the door.

Everyone had a job to do. She couldn't get upset. Everyone had responsibilities now. Those were the words that she had replayed to herself over a hundred times. Even as she said them to herself now, they didn't feel true. She had changed so much since then and she knew what being separated felt like. She had already decided she had never wanted to feel that loneliness again, but she knew she no longer had a choice in that regard.

People were bustling around outside and Beth welcomed the distraction. Catching the arm of a man rushing toward the door she had just exited from, Beth gained his attention.

"What's all the commotion about?" Beth asked.

"The two that went on a run yesterday are back," the man said in a rush.

"Two? But there were three…" Beth voiced her thoughts aloud.

The moment the words left her lips, she was rushing to the front gates. If three had left and only two were back, that didn't necessarily mean someone had died. Maybe they had gotten separated? Or one had stayed behind to be a distraction and hiding out until it was safe to come back? She herself had done that exact thing when it came to getting their people out of the Blazer. It didn't mean they were dead.

 _Please don't be dead_.

Shoving her way around people, Beth stopped breathing when both Glenn and Maggie were standing before her. Glenn had a third backpack dangling from his grip, but Tara was nowhere in sight.

"What happened?" Beth asked as she rushed to her sister and crushed her in an embrace.

The way Glenn and Maggie were standing there, looking exhausted, and utterly defeated tore at Beth's heart.

She felt Maggie's hands gently grab her upper arms and push Beth far enough away that she could see her face. She watched as Maggie swallowed and worked her jaw in anticipation of the words that were to follow.

"Beth…let's go to your room so we can talk," Maggie's calm was forced and Beth immediately knew Tara was no longer among them.

Beth caught Daryl watching her from the corner of her eyes, but didn't acknowledge him. She already knew Daryl's decision, but she felt she should be allowed to voice her concerns after everything they'd been through. She would deal with whatever Maggie had to tell her and then figure out exactly how she felt about Rick's proposal.

…

Beth waited at the door as Maggie collapsed onto her bed and rested her face in her hands, much like how Beth had been sitting when Daryl found her earlier. The fact that Maggie hadn't spoken to her since her one ominous statement at the gate unnerved Beth all the more.

Glenn had stayed behind and Beth assumed that he was going to fill everyone else in on what happened. The fact that Maggie felt she needed to talk to Beth in private meant that whatever it was, it was important.

Beth slowly crossed the room, stepping over Maggie's bag as she did so, and sat on the bed beside her sister. Reaching over, she took one of Maggie's hands and brought it away from her face. Maggie gripped Beth's hand so tightly that she was already beginning to lose feeling in her fingers, but she allowed Maggie the comfort.

"What happened?" Beth asked softly.

"Tara got bit," Maggie stated flatly.

Beth didn't say anything more and stared down at her feet with a blank stare that matched her sisters.

"She got bit helping me," Maggie said much more quietly.

"How?" Was the only word Beth could formulate to ask.

She was still trying to comprehend just how close her sister had come to being taken from her.

"We ran into ah' group of walkers down an aisle. I didn't see them until it was too late," Maggie began, "Glenn had set up a stereo in tha' back of the store. I was too distracted looking for tha' aisle we needed to think about walkers still bein' around. She…"

Beth waited patiently for her sister to continue. She could hear Maggie sniffling, well aware that she was crying, but Beth held onto her hand and gave her the moment she needed.

Wiping her free hand across her cheeks, Maggie continued, "I dropped my flashlight and we were runnin' around blind. She helped me up on top of one of the metal shelves, but we didn't see the walkers crawling around at our feet."

Beth closed her eyes. She knew the relief she felt at the cost of Tara's life was selfish. While in her opinion Maggie was more important, she knew that no one's life held more value than another's.

"She told me she felt guilty. So I forgave her…told her you would forgive her…an' I didn't let her turn," Maggie finished in a stronger tone.

Beth wasn't following Maggie's last statement. Tara hadn't done anything to offend her; that she could recall. Tara had been quiet for the most part. She helped out when needed, but mostly stuck around Rosita and her group. She had seemed nice enough, but Beth couldn't say she really knew her.

"I don't understand what you mean. Tara's never done anythin' for me to need to forgive her," Beth voiced her thoughts aloud.

"Glenn didn't meet Tara on the road. He told me that he found her, caged off from walker's, at the prison," Maggie replied vaguely.

"What're you trying to say Mags?" Beth let her frustration seep through.

Maggie cleared her throat, and then turned to Beth, bringing one of her knees on the bed between them, "Tara was part of The Governor's group. She didn't know she had been lied to 'til it was too late. She felt like Daddy…she felt like his death was on her hands."

Beth sat looking at her sister. She felt a mixture of emotions coursing through her, but wasn't sure where to focus her energy. She felt anger, betrayal, sadness, and most of all guilt. Guilt because she could recall every conversation she'd had about her father with Tara in the vicinity.

The silence that followed was thick and Beth could feel it weighing down on her shoulders.

"She told me everything right before…." Maggie's voice trailed off, "She kept apologizin'. So I forgave her. I told her that you would forgive her. It was what Daddy would have wanted us to do. It was the right thing to do."

Beth nodded her head, careful to keep her face hidden from view.

Maggie let go of Beth's hand after giving it a gentle squeeze. She then walked over to her abandoned backpack. Beth watched her out of the corner of her eye as Maggie moved to the open doorway.

"I know it's a lot to take in. Just come and get me if you wanna' talk about it," Maggie's exit was pronounced by the echo that filled Beth's room.

Maggie was right. It was a tremendous amount to take in. Knowing that Tara was there, fighting against them at the prison had Beth recalling the entire situation all over again. She had only recently gotten to the point where she didn't wake up from dreams of The Governor slicing her in half, those replaced with the faces of men whose lives she'd taken.

Scooting back to lean against the wall, Beth brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly. She became absorbed in her thoughts as she replayed the day her father was taken from her, trying to remember if she had even actually seen Tara there.

As the memories flowed, so did her tears.

…

It was after noon and Beth was sitting at the edge of her bed, devotedly cleaning her crossbow, when she heard a knock on her door. Her first thought was that it would be Daryl. She hadn't spoken to him since she stormed out of the room earlier and then Maggie and Glenn had showed up. However, from the sound of the knock, she knew it was someone else.

"You can open it," Beth called from where she sat, mindlessly wiping down the limbs of her crossbow.

The act of cleaning her weapon had become a sort of stress relief. It gave her something for her hands to do and an activity to keep her mind focused on.

"Hey," a recognizable female voice spoke as they opened the door.

"Hey," Beth replied while moving to oil the rail of her crossbow.

"Glenn told us what happened. Heard Maggie had talked to you," the voice said from across the room.

Beth continued her ministrations.

"I just wanted to come check on you," Beth could hear the concern in her visitor's voice.

"When you and Daddy were taken," Beth paused, "Did he…did they hurt either of you?"

Finally looking up to the dark-skinned woman in her room, Beth didn't try to hide the raw emotions she felt.

Michonne leaned on the wall in front of Beth with her arms crossed, staring at her.

Beth knew Michonne was deciding how to answer her question, but the longer she waited, the more Beth dreaded her response.

"Your father was one of the bravest men I have ever met in my entire life," Michonne began, "He never lost hope that he would be able to talk sense into that bastard. He tried reaching out and appealing to that man's humanity. Suggested we coexist. But deep down…deep down I think he knew."

"Knew?" Beth repeated.

"They never laid a hand on us while they had us captive. They gave us food, water, even kept us in an RV until they drove us out to the prison. All the while, your father talked to anyone who would listen, but I think he knew that they were going to kill us no matter what we did," Michonne answered both of Beth's questions.

Beth went back to cleaning her crossbow. She could rest at ease finally getting to hear that her father hadn't suffered while he had been captured. While his death hadn't been instantaneous, she hoped that the pain he had felt then hurt less than the pain she was feeling now from losing him, the uncertainty of Rick's proposed trip, and Tara's sacrifice.

"At least he wasn't alone," Beth finally settled on saying.

"Your father was a _good_ man. Tara was misled by The Governor. She never fired a single shot at our people. I know he would want you to make peace with what happened," Michonne pushed off the wall and sat beside Beth on her bed.

"I forgive Tara for what happened. She wasn't the one with the sword in her hands," Beth stated quietly.

The only sound in the room was the 'clanking' of Beth cleaning her crossbow. She had already gone above and beyond on the weapon's maintenance, but she couldn't bring herself to put it down. She understood why Daryl carried his crossbow with him everywhere he went. It had become a security blanket of sorts for her. It gave her a way to defend herself and protect her people.

When Michonne spoke again, she took their conversation in a different direction, "You stormed out earlier."

"I did," Beth replied blandly.

"You and Daryl huh?" Michonne's tone hinted at amusement.

Beth nearly dropped her crossbow and turned sharply to face Michonne, "What?"

"The two of you a thing?" Michonne rephrased her prior insinuation.

"No…no. It's not like that at all. We're a team. I mean, I like Daryl, but it's not like _that_ ," Beth felt herself getting more and more flustered.

"Ah. Is _that_ how it is?" Michonne's knowing smile told Beth she wasn't going for her explanation.

"I trust Daryl. He's a good man. Reliable, dependable, and I know he'd do anythin' to take care of us," Beth elaborated.

"So would Rick. Glenn. Me and everyone else in our group," Michonne countered.

"Yeah, but it's different with Daryl," Beth found herself saying before she realized it.

Michonne's eyebrows quirked up, "And how's that?"

"I know we all look out for each other, but everyone has someone watchin' their back. You, Rick, and Carl. Sasha and Bob have gotten close. I've even seen Carol and Tyreese stickin' together more since their… _understanding_. Abraham has his group. Maggie and Glenn look out for me, but I feel like Daryl tries t'purposely isolate himself. I know what it's like to be alone. I know you understand that feelin' too. I don't want anyone to ever feel like they're alone in this world," Beth answered honestly.

Michonne simply stared at Beth with a look she couldn't quite decipher. The silence made her feel like she needed to say more, but she wasn't sure how to explain her outburst earlier without playing into Michonne's implications.

"I just try an' make sure he doesn't do anything stupid t'get himself killed," Beth mumbled.

"I've been around for a while. Had a few life experiences. I know a smitten man when I see one," Michonne replied casually.

Beth had always respected Michonne. She considered the sword wielder someone she could confide in. She had seen a different side of Michonne through her interactions with Judith at the prison. After the outbreak Michonne started coming to her cell late at night, when everyone was asleep, and spend time with the small child while having frivolous discussions about nothing important with Beth.

"You should talk to him. He hasn't said anything, but I think he's worried about you. He's been extra moody this evening," Michonne said with a rare smile.

Beth nodded and watched Michonne stand from her bed and cross the room to her doorway.

"When you've made up your mind on whether you're coming or not, you should talk to Maggie. Better to make a trip like ours with a clear conscience than bring extra baggage," Michonne added while halfway out the door.

Beth stared at the door long after Michonne had left. She had just assumed that when they had said they needed someone they trusted to stay behind with Judith and Carl, they had meant her. Michonne's last comment had torn that assumption to shreds. They were giving her an option. They weren't pressuring her into coming like they had Daryl. They were going to let her choose.

Smiling for the first time that day, Beth made a mental note to thank Michonne for the enlightening conversation.

…

It was late when Beth finally mustered the courage to seek out Daryl. She searched the courtyard, their lookout post on the roof, before finally deciding to check his room. Daryl's room was on the opposite end of the hallway, much closer to the exit, and was filled with even less furniture than Beth's room.

Knocking on the door, Beth waited in the silent hallway. Most everyone was already asleep, but from the candlelight flickering under Daryl's door, she knew he was still one of the few awake at this hour. After a few moments, her assumption was proven correct when Daryl opened the door.

"Hey," Beth said with a small smile.

"Hey," Daryl replied, opening the door further to let her in.

A twin size bed and a small bedside table were placed in the far corner. The floor was littered with various items from articles of clothing to crossbow accessories. Stepping over the loose bolts he had lined up across the floor, Beth realized she had caught him in the middle of taking inventory of his belongings.

"Whadn't expectin' company," Daryl replied as he gathered his items and stuffed them back in his bag.

"Sorry," Beth replied, not knowing what else to say.

"S'okay," Daryl replied while carefully replacing the bolts in his crossbow quiver.

Beth sat on the floor, her back resting against the rod frame of Daryl's bed. When Daryl had finished putting up his belongings, he sat beside Beth. Neither one of them spoke. Beth wasn't sure how to start the conversation she knew they would ultimately have and Daryl seemed content to just sit next to her.

"You alright?" It was Daryl who spoke first.

"Yeah. I think so," Beth replied.

"I ain't much for talkin', but if you wanna', I can listen," Daryl's rough voice held a soothing effect.

"You hear 'bout what happened from Glenn?" Beth looked over to see Daryl picking at his fingers with his knife.

Daryl nodded in reply, glancing at her from under his shaggy hair.

"I don't really know how I feel about it. I forgive Tara. What happened wasn't her fault. I guess I'm more upset that she carried around that guilt and I never knew it. Maggie told her I would forgive her, but she never got to hear it from me," Beth sighed and leaned her head back against Daryl's mattress.

"Guilt ain't somethin' some people can share easily," Daryl met her stare.

Beth was the first to look away. She knew Daryl was speaking from personal experience as well as making a general statement. Beth had her own burdens she carried and knew the weight all too well. She would be surprised if she met someone who _didn't_ have some sort of regret from things they've had to do in order to survive.

"She was just a little older than me," Beth looked down at her hands in her lap.

"Age don't mean much anymore. It's just about survivin' now," Daryl admitted.

"You think things would've happened differently if she had talked t'us before?" Beth met his gaze once more.

Daryl sat quietly for a moment, brows furrowed, and gnawing on the inside of his cheek. Bending her knees to her chest, Beth rested her chin against her legs, her eyes never wavering from his.

"I don't think you can put much stock in what might'ah been. Her reasons for not tellin' ya' are her own. Jus' gotta' accept it for what it is and move on," Daryl stated bluntly.

"I know. I jus' wonder if I could'ah done somethin' or said somethin' that would've made a difference," Beth slumped her shoulders, "May sound silly, but I sometimes feel like nothin' can happen to any of us after. That we're not invincible even after all we've been through and survived. I forgot just how quickly things can go bad."

"Life's short," Daryl paraphrased a quote Beth had heard her father say many times.

"She's with her family again," Beth murmured softly, "At least she's not suffering anymore."

Daryl grunted in reply and even though Beth didn't feel better, she was at least able to identify exactly how she felt about Tara.

While Tara had unwittingly betrayed them in the beginning, she had redeemed herself tenfold in the end. She had helped bring Glenn and Maggie back together and ultimately gave her _life_ for Maggie. Beth was angry with Tara, but angrier with herself for not realizing the older girl held such deep remorse. She felt guilty she hadn't gotten to know her better. That maybe if she had taken the time to sit down and let Tara know what kind of person she was, that she wouldn't blame Tara for what had happened at the prison, that maybe she would still be here today. There would be no way of knowing if doing anything would change the outcome of today's events, but Beth wouldn't feel as guilty knowing she had at least _tried_ to be there for Tara. Her last thought brought her back to her conversation with Michonne.

"I want to come with you," Beth stated firmly.

Daryl's hands continued to fiddle with his knife while he lips remained firmly pressed together.

"I'm coming with you," Beth rephrased her statement.

Daryl heaved a sigh and turned to face her, "Nothin' I can say t'change yer' mind is there?"

Beth set her jaw and calmly shook her head.

"I'd rather you be here, where I'd know you'd be safe, but I ain't gonna' tell you what to do," Daryl placed his knife on his bedside table and resumed facing Beth.

"I'd rather be there t'make sure you don't get yer'self killed," Beth retorted, "We make a good team."

Daryl breathed in deeply, searching Beth's eyes, "Stubborn girl."

"You're one t'talk," Beth smirked.

"I'll keep ya' safe," Daryl finally surrendered.

Beth shook her head and reached up to cup Daryl's cheek within her palm, "When are you gonna' figure out that I'm tryin' t'keep you safe too?"

Daryl's face was unreadable, but the gleam in his eyes told Beth everything she needed to know. Even without Michonne's comment earlier, Beth had already begun realizing that things between her and Daryl had gone far past the point of platonic. She was scared that asking Daryl to identify what was going on between them would cause him to distance himself, but the look he was giving her told her he too was aware that things between them had changed. If the look wasn't enough, the moment he leaned forward to press his lips to hers was confirmation.

He was more confident in this kiss than he had been in the last two. As his lips moved against hers, Beth found herself only being able to focus on emotions that seemed to overflow within. The feelings she had been suppressing for however long knocked down the walls she had built around herself. She was finally willing to admit to herself, if not yet out loud, that she did have feelings for Daryl.

When she couldn't get close enough, Beth wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His hands found her waist and all it took was his touch for her maneuver herself onto his lap. She was hyperaware of everywhere his hands touched and when she felt a sensation graze her lower lip, she immediately reciprocated.

Her arms unwound from his neck and she gently placed her hands on the sides of his face. Beth couldn't remember the last time she felt so _alive_. Her heart was racing for a reason other than fear. She felt safe in completely letting her guard down even if only for a brief moment. She was lost in the euphoria that Daryl was providing.

When their kisses began to slow, Beth felt herself slowly coming down from the adrenaline rush. Keeping her eyes closed, she rested her forehead against Daryl's. His hands still held her as gently as she held his face. She wasn't sure what his expression was, but Beth cheeks were hurting from how big she was smiling.

"You're still heavier than ya' look," Daryl's words caused her eyes to flutter open and meet his bright blue ones.

"You do realize that's not a very flattering thing t'say to 'ah lady, right?" Beth giggled.

"Never claimed t'be a gentlemen," Daryl smirked.

Pulling back and dropping her hands from his face to lace her fingers between his, Beth marveled at how well their hands fit together. She hadn't paid much attention to the gesture before, but lately she had caught herself seeing things in a new light when it came to Daryl.

"I..uh," Daryl cleared his throat, "Not really sure where t'go from here."

"Me neither," Beth answered honestly, "but we'll figure it out."

Daryl stared at her until Beth furrowed her brows in question. He then reached up and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and Beth was left blinking. She took the rare, intimate gesture as appreciation for not overcomplicating things. For not forcing a label on whatever relationship was occurring between them. She couldn't be sure, as she was making her own assumptions from his body language, but Beth made sure to express her own gratitude with a light press of her lips to his.

"You mind if I crash here for the night? I don't really feel like bein' alone," Beth quietly asked when she leaned back for a second time.

"Yeah. Sure. I'll take the floor," Daryl replied.

Beth stood and moved to sit on the bed. Daryl followed suit and walked over to his bag to remove the spare blanket he had stuffed back in there when Beth entered the room.

"I don't mind sharin'," Beth tried to argue.

"Nah. I'm fine. Not used to sleepin' in a bed anyhow," Daryl rebuffed her.

She would have argued further that they could both sleep on the bed; that they had slept beside each other on numerous occasions when they were on their own, but she knew Daryl had a stubborn streak that rivaled her own. She also found it a little amusing that while after claiming he didn't see himself as a gentlemen, he was acting as such by not sleeping next to her and giving her the bed.

When Daryl was settled on the floor, Beth blew out the candle on his bedside table and got comfortable on his bed. She felt slightly guilty for taking the bed, but she knew no matter what she said; he would insist that he was fine with the floor.

"We'll find Rick in the mornin'. Figure out who will stay behind with Carl and Lil' Asskicker," Daryl's voice filtered through the darkness.

"Just wake me if I'm still asleep," Beth replied.

It wasn't until she was comfortably dozing, surrounded by the scent of pine and oil, that she remembered she hadn't informed them of her disturbing news about the vehicle they had come across the day before. She would make sure to tell them tomorrow. She was certain, as impractically as the case may be, that it was the same man who had kidnapped her at the mortuary. Even if it wasn't, she didn't want to take that chance by not telling them.

"I'll see ya' in the mornin'," Daryl's voiced sounded farther away.

"G'night Daryl," Beth mumbled in reply.

She had cried, mourning the loss of her father and a girl she had barely known. She had been given perspective through her conversations with Michonne and Daryl, and thanks to him she had managed to find a little happiness on such a dark day.

As she yielded to her exhaustion, she noticed how much more comfortable Daryl's bed was. The mattress was lumpier and more worn than hers, but the scent of it lulled her into a peaceful slumber. Her last thoughts were of rough, calloused hands and warm, chapped lips.

_Life is too short to live in regret._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was very particular about this chapter. I wanted Beth to seek Daryl for comfort, but I wanted to keep the relationship at the pace I've set throughout the story. However, I felt it was time that Daryl took some initiative. So I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I always love getting feedback!


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
 **Thank you**** Nicole137137 for editing this and assuring me that the chapter was worthy of posting!

I HAVE NEW **FANART!** Orange Autumn was kind enough to draw me some fantastic artwork! I am so flattered to have inspired two people to create a scene from my story. I always thought it was so cool when writers had fanart so it's unreal to think I would get to be one of those authors! Thank you guys so much! You're amazing! Here's the link if you're interested:

http://andrea-lindsay.tumblr.com/post/97753691549/i-did-a-thing-for-apenny12-on-fanfiction-net-i

...

The sun gleaming through the small, rectangular window woke Beth's peaceful slumber. Blinking several times, Beth sat up feeling oddly at ease. She had slept through the night for the first time in months. Utterly perplexed and not used to feeling so rested, Beth tried to remember what had been so different. A sound coming from the floor beside her made her jump and the fog of being still half-sleep immediately cleared.

"Daryl? You awake?" Beth whispered.

"Hell yes. Barely slept a wink on this hard ass floor," Daryl grumbled, but didn't move from where he laid on his stomach, head facing away from her.

"I told you I didn't mind sharin' the bed," Beth replied calmly.

Daryl rose up, using his forearms to hold his weight, and turned his head in Beth's direction. The look he gave her had Beth pressing her lips into a thin line, keeping any other smart comments she had thought of securely locked away.

Beth watched him push off his forearms and sit up, attempting to smooth down his sleep tousled hair. Daryl wasn't one to care for his appearance, so to see him put effort into grooming had Beth smiling from ear to ear. Unfortunately, his efforts were in vain as the more he brushed through his hair, the more unruly it became.

"Here," Beth offered, slipping her legs off the side of the bed.

Her bare feet tingled on the cold tile floor as she padded over to where Daryl sat. He glanced at her incredulously, but said nothing when she moved around behind him and began combing through his hair with her fingers.

"When was the last time you had a haircut?" Beth asked, working her fingers through an unruly snare.

"Been a while. 'Fore the world went t'shit I guess," Daryl answered after a moment of thought.

"Your hair's longer than Carol's. Probably same length as Maggie's now," Beth teased.

"You suggestin' soemthin'?" Daryl glared up at her.

"Nope. I like it longer. Suits you," Beth smiled down at him.

Beth saw his lips press together a few times, before his gaze returned to the front, and she wondered what he had contemplated saying. When he reached up and scratched the back of his neck, Beth knew her compliment had him flustered.

"There," Beth ruffled his hair with her hand in an attempt to ease his tension, "You look presentable enough now."

"Presentable enough?" Daryl repeated sardonically.

"Sadly we're without the luxury of shampoo," Beth waved him off nonchalantly, "but it wasn't as dirty as I've seen in tha' past," she finished with a playful smile.

She could feel Daryl's eyes glaring into her back as she moved around to sit on his bed and put on her boots.

"You're one t'talk Miss Greene," his words accentuating her last name.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Beth looked up at him as she pulled on her first boot.

"I was nice enough t'let you sleep in my bed. Walker blood 'n all. Least I rinsed off yesterday," Daryl replied smugly.

Beth blinked. Having no witty comeback, she grumbled under her breath and pulled on her second boot.

She had been so distracted yesterday that she had completely forgotten to shower. How her world had indeed changed. Not only did she find herself unperturbed by Daryl's lack of hygiene, but she herself hadn't thought twice about needing to shower and wash the walker blood from her skin.

"Where ya' goin'?" She heard Daryl ask as she stormed toward his door.

Pushing the door open, she stopped long enough to glare over her shoulder, "T'shower."

She could hear Daryl's chuckling even after she shut his door.

…

After taking a shower, which consisted of scrubbing her skin with a wet rag as soap and shampoo were a rare commodity, Beth felt relatively clean when she dried off and got dressed. Not having an elaborate wardrobe, she had settled with slipping on a pair of jeans that had holes warn in the knees and the shirt she had been wearing. She told herself it was that the only other long-sleeved shirt she had was covered in more walker blood than the flannel shirt Daryl had inadvertently given her. Her hair, now reaching the middle of her back, was left down to finish drying and when Beth returned to her room she found Daryl sitting on her bed examining her new bolts.

Leaning against the door jam, Beth watched as he took each bolt and held it at eye level so he could look down the shaft. He then checked the tip of the point before running his thumb across the fletching. Beth wasn't sure if he was choosing to ignore her or if he was just so consumed in making sure there were no faults in her bolts that he hadn't noticed her. After moving to check the third bolt, Beth pushed off the wall, pulling her door shut behind her, and moved to sit beside him.

"What're you doin'?" She asked dubiously.

"What's it look like?" Daryl countered with a question.

Beth gave him a flat look when he glanced at her, "I already checked 'em. I took off the points of the two that had a cracked shaft. I managed to save a few of the fletching's too."

"Seems you were listenin' to all those lessons I gave ya'," Daryl smirked.

Beth nudged his shoulder and smiled, "You weren't a half bad teacher."

"That supposed t'be a compliment?" Daryl grumbled.

"Means you could'a been worse," Beth smiled wider.

Daryl's smirk slowly fell and Beth could feel the tension growing between them. She was immediately taken back to the night before. She still remembered exactly how warm his rough hands were against her skin and the way he tasted as she kissed him.

"I've never seen ya' with your hair down," Daryl admitted.

Beth tilted her head to the side, trying to think of a time she might have left it down for anyone to see. Her mother had always commented on how beautiful and soft her hair felt. It was why she had always kept her hair long even _before_. However with the world the way it was, it wasn't safe to leave her hair loose. It wasn't really safe to have long hair period, giving walkers something to grab ahold of, but she refused to let the world take everything from her.

"Really? I guess I don't ever leave it down anymore," Beth said more to herself than him.

She continued to stare at him while his eyes travelled from her face to her hair and back again. When he tentatively reached up and encircled his fingers around her hair, Beth felt a nervous energy rushing through her system.

"Suits you," Daryl echoed the compliment she had given him earlier.

She felt her lips lift as another smile broke free.

"Thanks," she half-whispered.

She wasn't sure when she had begun moving, but she found herself being drawn closer to Daryl. He too seemed to be closing the distance between them and all thoughts left her mind when his lips brushed against hers.

It was soft…chaste…and not enough.

Beth reached out and gripped a handful of Daryl's shirt, pulling him toward her, deepening their kiss. He obliged by releasing the strands of her hair he had been holding to wrap his hand around the back of her head and gently bring her closer. It still wasn't enough.

The temperature in the room seemed to have risen to an uncomfortable degree. Sighing when his free hand pressed against the skin of her lower back, Beth wasn't even aware that his hand had found the hem of her shirt. She was doing all she could just to focus on keeping with the rhythm of their kiss. Her skin tingled and when she still wasn't satisfied with their proximity, she felt herself leaning back on the bed and Daryl following her.

She wouldn't claim to be very experienced in the romance department, only having had one serious boyfriend and another who helped take her mind off the dreariness of the apocalypse, but neither held a flame to the man gently pressing his weight atop her now.

She felt his hand move from her hip and skimmed up her jeans to grasp her knee. Even through the worn denim material she could feel her skin burning. Going on instinct, she wrapped her ankles around the back of his legs, effectively pulling him closer from where he hovered above her. She had never been in this sort of situation before and while the idea of whatever happened next made her nervous, the emotions she felt every time Daryl made a sound or pressed against her far outweighed any of her anxieties.

A ghost of a sound escaped her lips when Daryl's hand travelled back up her leg to grip the flesh of her hip under her shirt. When his hand began moving higher up, she whispered his name. Everything was hazy. She felt like the earth was falling away and the only solid anchor she had was the man wrapped in her arms.

Feeling brave and riding the sensations she was feeling, Beth dropped her arms to reach under Daryl's shirt. Her hands explored the hard planes of his stomach and trailed up to his back. When her fingers brushed against a soft, puckered area of skin, she felt Daryl tense above her. His hand tightened over her skin and his movements halted.

Dropping her head against the mattress, Beth furrowed her brows and looked up at him. His face was unreadable, his lips pressed into a firm line, and his eyes bore into a spot next to her shoulder. Removing one of her hands from his back, keeping her other against the scarred tissue, Beth placed her hand on his cheek. His eyes darted to hers and she gave him a small smile.

Her hands brushed over his back, ignoring the various areas of blemished skin, and she leaned up to press her lips softly against his. He followed her as she leaned back against her bed, never breaking the gentle kiss. When he finally pulled back, his eyes held a light that Beth hadn't seen before.

No words were necessary. She was willing to accept him, scars and all, just as he had accepted her. While most of his scars were visible, hers were not. He was well aware that she wasn't the same innocent girl she had been at the prison and he had wordlessly accepted her regardless.

Her heart finally settling down, she cleared her throat, and smiled, "We should go talk to Rick. I have a few things I wanna' set him straight on."

Daryl smirked and pushed off the bed. Beth accepted the hand he extended down to her and stood on shaky legs. The adrenaline having erupted so suddenly and leaving just as fast left her slightly out of sorts.

Although she wasn't really sure _where_ she had wanted things to go, she was happy where they had ended up. She felt like she was finally beginning to get past some of the walls Daryl had built around himself. In the same sense, she felt her own walls crumbling. There was no doubt left in her mind; Daryl meant more to her than anyone else left in the world. She loved her sister, but the feelings she was discovering she had for Daryl broached the sentiment in a completely new light.

Tying her hair up, she followed behind Daryl as he left her room. Squaring her shoulders, Beth was more than determined to let Rick know exactly what she planned to do in regards to the group going to Washington.

…

"I'm coming with y'all," Beth said as soon as she walked through the door to the room she had stormed out of the day before.

She caught the smirk on Michonne's face before Rick looked up to see her.

"You talk her into this?" Rick looked to Daryl.

Somewhere along the way Beth had passed Daryl as they walked toward the building just off the courtyard.

"You know them Greene girls. They got a mind 'ah their own," Daryl scoffed at Rick's accusation.

"I had someone help me realize that I have a choice to stay or go. Someone we trust will have to stay behind with Carl and Judith, but that someone doesn't _have_ to be me," Beth said firmly.

Rick sighed, running his hand down his beard, "You're absolutely right. I was hopin' you would stay so I'd know you'd be safe, but I should'ah expected it after the earful Maggie gave me."

"You asked Maggie to stay behind too? Why?" Beth couldn't understand why Rick wouldn't want Maggie to come. She was strong, much stronger than Beth felt she was herself, and reliable. It only made sense to assume Maggie was going with them.

"I told you I promised Hershel I'd look after ya'. Both of ya'. I aim to keep that promise," Rick confessed, "I'm not going t'pretend like I'm the greatest dad in the world, but everything I've done, I've done tryin' to keep our people…our family alive."

Suddenly Beth felt guilty for being so angry the day before.

"I know you're lookin' out for us, but I'm capable of makin' my own decisions. I've come into my own and I can help. Me and Daryl make a good team and having two people able to take out walkers or…whatever else," Beth worded vaguely at the possible need to eliminate another human being, "is more beneficial than me staying here."

Rick stared at her for a long moment. When he finally dropped his head, bobbing it up and down a few times in consent to her explanation, Beth knew she had won.

"Alright. If you're sure you want t'go, I'll happily accept your help," Rick said as he looked back up at her.

Beth beamed and turned to Daryl who nodded his agreement.

"I'm glad you're coming," Michonne added with a knowing smirk.

"Thanks…for the help yesterday," Beth said as sincerely as she could manage.

"Anytime," Michonne replied with a rare smile.

"So it was _you_?" Beth heard the accusation in Rick's tone.

She didn't wait around to hear Michonne's reply. Dealing with that issue, Beth knew she needed to tell them about the car.

"Um…" Beth faltered for a second when Michonne and Rick both turned their attention back to her, "Yesterday, Daryl told you about the car we saw?"

"He did. I've told everyone on watch to pay extra attention for any signs of activity," Rick confirmed.

"I recognized the driver," Beth managed to say calmly.

"What do you mean? Like someone from the prison?" Michonne furrowed her brows.

Beth shook her head.

Daryl, having been positioned against the wall behind her, was now standing at her side, "What're you talkin' about? You didn't say nothin' about the driver the other day."

Daryl must have been replaying the panic in her voice when she had told him not to slow down because the look on his face had become very dark. He had uncrossed his arms and was practically looming over her. Beth took a deep breath and held her ground.

"It was him. I will never forget his face until the day I die," Beth answered his unspoken question.

"Who?" Rick was now standing straight behind the desk covered in maps.

"It was the man who abducted me when Daryl and I got separated. I managed to get away from him. I didn't kill him…I _couldn't_ kill him, but I will never forget what he looks like. The car may have been different, but it was _him_. I'm sure of it," Beth explained, her voice only shaking twice while she spoke.

"You think he recognized you?" Michonne asked, concerned etched on her face.

"I recognized him," Beth countered.

"Why the _fuck_ didn't you say somethin' sooner?" Daryl seethed beside her.

"I meant to tell you yesterday, when we came to talk with Rick, but I got sidetracked with everything that happened," Beth defended.

Daryl glared, "That's not tha' kind of shit you keep t'yourself."

"You think I don't know that?" Beth met his glare with a scowl of her own.

"We know now," Rick interjected, "Nothing's happened between yesterday and today. We know and we'll decide what to do about it."

"Was anyone else in the car?" Michonne asked.

"Not that I could see," Beth answered.

"He have anyone with him when he took you?" Rick inquired next.

"He brought me to some rundown house. I got away from him and took off in his car before he got me inside. I didn't wait around to see if anyone was in there waitin' on him," Beth replied honestly.

"We've got to get those signs downs," Michonne stated, "No telling how many more people have been scoping us out and we not even know it."

"I agree," Rick said while looking down at the map, "I'll get some people started on that now. You think you two can go back to where you saw tha' car and see if you can come up with any clues? Anything that would give us an idea of where's he's at and if he's got other people?"

Beth glanced up at Daryl. She could practically _see_ the anger rolling off of him. With his jaw clamped so tight that she could see the muscles bulging, Daryl gave a nod to Rick.

"Good. Let me know if you find anything," Rick glanced between the two of them.

Without another word, Daryl turned and exited the room, leaving Beth without so much as a glance.

"Give him time. He'll cool off," Rick said without looking up from the papers spread on the desk before him.

Beth clenched her fists and squared her shoulders, "I can handle him."

Moving to the door, she felt her pride swell at Rick's simple reply.

"I know you can."

She threw open the door and started after the angry Dixon.

…

While trying to catch up with Daryl, Beth ran into everyone else _except_ the man she was looking for. She had a quick conversation with Bob, promising to come back to the clinic after she sorted out her current situation. Stumbled upon Sasha and Carol who were getting Judith some fresh air in the courtyard, said a quick hello to several people they had released from the boxcars, and literally bumped into Tyreese when she was entering the building of their sleeping quarters.

"Sorry," she said while regaining her footing.

"Oh, my bad," Tyreese quickly apologized, "Hey Beth."

"Hey," Beth replied as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Everything okay?" Tyreese asked, obviously picking up on her behavior.

"Ah, yeah. I'm just trying to catch up with Daryl," Beth waved her hands in front of her in an attempt to cover her urgency.

"Oh, okay. I didn't see him in the hallway so maybe he's in his room?" Tyreese suggested while stepping aside to allow Beth room to enter the doorway.

"Thanks, I'll go check," Beth gave a small smile as she strode past him.

She quickly made her way to Daryl's room and knocked on his door only to be met with silence. She knocked again and again there was no answer. Cracking the door open she found his room empty. His crossbow and bag were also missing and Beth's stomach plummeted.

It would be just like him to go off on his own to hunt down the man who had taken her, effectively putting an end to Beth's recurring nightmare. However, they didn't know anything about her attacker. She didn't know if he was in fact with a group, or had joined one since he had abducted her, and she didn't have any idea where to start looking for him after he'd driven off out of her sight.

Her mind raced as she concluded that Daryl couldn't have gone far. If she ran after him now, she could catch him and talk some sense into him. Rushing to her room and grabbing her crossbow, she decided to chance taking the back exit out of the building. If no one had mentioned seeing him leaving, then the only probable explanation was he had snuck out of the back.

Bursting through her doorway, she had almost hoped to see him sitting on her bed, but wasn't surprised to see her room devoid of Daryl. Slinging her crossbow over her shoulder and yanking her bag off the floor she spun on her heel and nearly plowed over Maggie.

"Hey," Maggie said with an expression of surprise.

"Hey," Beth replied a little too quickly.

"I was just comin' to check on you. Is…everythin' okay?" Maggie asked the same question she had heard from Tyreese moments before.

"You'll have to get Rick to fill you in on the details, but right now I have to catch up with Daryl. He's runnin' off to go be a hero and he's gonna' end up gettin' himself killed," Beth grumpled.

"Oh, alright," Maggie nodded, "You gonna' be gone long?"

Beth brushed past her sister, turning to answer her as she walked toward the exit around the corner from her room, "Can't say for sure. Rick can tell you what happened."

Beth didn't have time to explain everything. Maggie would want answers that Beth didn't have and each moment she stood here talking allowed Daryl to get that much further ahead. The look on Maggie's face gnawed at Beth's conscious. Stopping at the corner, she turned back to her sister who was following close on her heels.

"When I get back, we'll talk…about Tara…and about what's goin' on here. I shouldn't be gone long," Beth forced her voice to remain even.

"Okay," Maggie said with a forced smile, "Be careful."

"Always," Beth reached for her sister.

Giving Maggie a firm hug, and with the promise of a serious discussion when she got back, Beth released her and dashed out of the door. Hearing the roar of an engine had Beth running as fast as her legs could carry her to where they had parked the motorcycle upon their return to Terminus. Rounding the corner of the last building on the east side of the compound, Beth glowered at Daryl's expectant stare.

"Took you long enough," he yelled over the loud grumble of the bike.

"You didn't leave," Beth stated the obvious.

Daryl's face took a pensive expression, but instead of replying, he jerked his head, signaling her to sit behind him on the motorcycle.

After the adrenaline rush she'd just felt, worrying herself sick that Daryl had gone off on a suicide mission in order to relieve some of the guilt he continued to harbor from opening the door at the mortuary, Beth felt her muscles go lax as fatigue set in.

Ambling over and climbing on the bike, Beth wrapped her arms around Daryl's middle and flattened her cheek against his back. Her face held a scowl, annoyed with the man driving them out of Terminus, but she was content with the sound of his heartbeat that she could feel steadily thrumming in his chest.

"I wasn't tryin' to keep anything from you," Beth spoke loud enough for him to hear.

She felt him glance back at her before his words sounded over the roar of the engine.

"I know."

With that, Beth felt any residual tightness in her chest evaporate. Daryl wasn't angry with her. She knew he was upset that she hadn't immediately told him about the driver, but he understood that yesterday had been a mentally exhausting day and she had inadvertently pushed the information to the back of her mind.

"Next time," feeling his voice as it reverberated through his body, "don't keep stuff like that to yer'self."

Squeezing her arms a little tighter than necessary, giving them both comfort, Beth nodded her head into his back. In the back of her mind she just kept hoping there wouldn't _be_ a 'next time.'

…

"You see anythin'?" Beth asked as she stood where the car had been stopped when they rode past.

"Not ah' damn thing," Daryl replied while examining the road in the direction the car had traveled.

"I don't even know what t'look for," Beth sighed, glancing around her.

The street they were on was relatively open. A pasture of tall, thick grass was at her back, and a few houses lined the street in front of her. The handful of vehicles on the side of the road had been stripped of the useable parts and left to rust.

"Not much here. Trail's over ah' day old. If it had been a dirt road, we could'ah followed the tracks. No tracks t'follow on asphalt," Daryl grumbled.

"We know he went that way," Beth pointed down the road, "but there's no tellin' how far."

"Gas is pretty scarce. They can't be travelin' too far," Daryl pointed out, "but cars can go a ways on ah' tank of gas."

Beth nodded in agreement and walked around the general area of where the car they were tailing had been sitting.

They were several miles from the railroad intersection they had come from. With no streets or back roads leading to their new home, the tracks were the only way into Terminus. Either seeing the man in the car here had been purely coincidence, or he had seen the sign at the intersection about Terminus and was snooping around the area.

The idea that her once-captor was so close that she had been able to identify him sent her senses into overdrive. How long had he been in the area? Had he been stalking her or was this merely the strings of their fate crossing each other once more? Was he out there now, watching her, waiting for an opportunity to ambush them? Was she being paranoid? Was it _really_ him?

She felt her breath growing short and she struggled to keep her head on straight. Placing a palm to her forehead, her other hand subconsciously covering the area of her neck where the man had drugged her, she closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on ends as the sensation she was being watched kept growing stronger.

"Hey," strong hands gripped both of her shoulders.

Beth's eyes snapped open in surprise. She hadn't even heard Daryl approach her.

"It's gonna' be alright. Just take ah' deep breath," his rough voice enveloped her.

Her eyes never left his, even when his hands moved up from her shoulders to hold her face.

"I'm not gonna' let nothin' happen to ya'," Daryl said firmly.

"Somethin' always happens" Beth whispered, her hands falling to her sides.

Beth knew she was being pessimistic, contrary to her normal outlook on life, but she didn't want to encourage Daryl. He had a habit of going out of his way to protect the group and then placed all the blame on himself when things went wrong. The reality of it was that something was always going to happen, whether it was his fault or not, good or bad, and they'd just have to keep adapting in order to survive.

"It's not gonna' be like last time," Daryl's voice, sounding coarser than a moment ago, broke through her thoughts.

She knew he was referring to the mortuary. There was nothing she could say that would release him from the guilt he felt because he had carelessly opened the front door.

"I told you, that wasn't your fault," Beth's voice quivering slightly as she spoke.

Daryl furrowed his brows at her and even though she still felt uneasy, she found herself regaining her composure. Reaching up and placing her hands over his, Beth pulled his grip away from her face. With his hands held within hers at their side, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead into his chest, inhaling the same scent she had slept so soundly with the night before.

Finally trusting her voice to speak, she mumbled a phrase that had come to mean so much more into his shirt, "I've got your back too."

Daryl didn't reply, but he didn't move away from her either, allowing her a moment of much needed comfort.

With her thoughts clearing and her heart rate returning to normal, Beth pulled back and took a deep breath, "Alright. Let's check further down the road and see if we find anything."

Daryl eyed her for a moment, but eventually acquiesced to her request.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked down the road, searching for any hint at where the car might have gone. Glancing back, Beth noticed they had walked a decent distance from where they had parked; the motorcycle a black dot on the side of the road. As she opened her mouth to say they should start back, a sound began in the distance. Beth's eyes whipped from the road in front of them over to Daryl as the sound continued to grow closer.

The steady hum was unmistakable. It was a sound that she had heard every day of her life for sixteen years, but hearing it now had her on edge all over again. They were too far from the motorcycle to drive away without being seen and at the rate of the approaching vehicle; they didn't have much time to hide themselves.

Running across the road, Daryl tugged her behind him as they hid behind an abandoned car. Beth held her breath as the vehicle got closer. Minutes ticked by and the vehicle still wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Where are they?" Beth found herself whispering regardless of the fact it was just the two of them.

"Should be comin' into view any second now," Daryl whispered back.

It felt like hours before Daryl squeezed her hand, signaling that he could see the vehicle. They both ducked down as the pick-up drove past them, but Beth was able to get a decent look at the driver and felt immense relief when she didn't recognize the person behind the wheel.

The moment it was safe enough for them to lean away from the cover of the neglected vehicle they were hiding behind, the blood running through Beth's veins turned to ice. There, on the back of the black, Chevy Silverado was a white cross. Her worst fear had been realized.

_There were others._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Not a lot of action in the chapter, but there was some development as we transition to the last segment of the story! I'm only planning to have around twenty or so chapters for the second book. Probably more depending on how neatly I can wrap things up. Don't worry...I have a third book already planned out! This will be a trilogy so after a short break, I'll start with book three! Until then, we'll have the rest of book two!


	18. Chapter 18

 

 

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
**  
**Thank you**** Nicole137137 for editing this chapter for me!

**A/N:** Sooo...guess who got to meet Norman Reedus? Yup! This girl! I went to the Austin Comic Con last weekend and got to have about a 2 minute conversation with him! I posted the photos on my Tumblr account and I'll post links here for those who want to see! He's super sweet, just like you see on T.V. and very humble! It still seems surreal I've actually met him!

http://apenny12.tumblr.com/image/99170618430

http://apenny12.tumblr.com/image/99170788065

...

Beth felt herself moving mechanically. She stumbled out from behind the car and tried to process exactly what she had just seen. There were things in the world that she could chalk up to coincidence, but the white cross on the back of that truck was anything but coincidental.

"Did you see…" Beth didn't need to finish her sentence.

"I saw," Daryl's tone eerily calm.

"That was just like the cross on the car that took me. That silver car we saw had one too and now this truck," Beth pictured each vehicle in her head.

"Gotta' mean somethin'," Daryl voiced what she hadn't said.

"Whatever it is," Beth felt exhaustion seeping in as her adrenaline rush passed, "it's not good."

As the thrumming of her heart in her ears steadily decreased, she felt the same chill she had experienced when she had stood at the intersection where they had seen the parked car. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as the oppressive feeling of someone watching her recurred.

"Daryl," she found herself whispering, reaching blindly for him as her eyes scanned the area around them.

"What is it?" He asked while grasping her flailing hand.

"I wanna' get out of here," she admitted weakly.

Daryl didn't immediately answer her and Beth looked behind her to see him looking around them with such intensity that she knew he felt the same unease. He then looked to her and nodded.

"Probably for tha' best. Between our bike and the truck, walkers are bound t'be showin' up soon," he said as he began to walk down the ditch, tugging her behind him.

With a tall privacy fence blocking them from view, Beth followed behind Daryl as they approached the place she had been looking for clues only moments ago. Stopping at the end of the fence, she waited as Daryl cautiously peered around the edge. When he gently tugged her hand, they bolted across the opening to the other side of the intersection. She could still hear the truck driving in the distance, but it didn't appear to be coming in their direction. From the sound of things, the truck seemed to be searching the neighborhood, but for what Beth couldn't even begin to guess.

There were approximately five miles or so from the railroad intersection and then, following the tracks, it was at least another twenty miles until Terminus was visible. For someone walking; that would be quite the journey, but with vehicles scouring the neighborhood so close to their new residence, Beth knew things weren't going to bode well for their brief sanctuary. They had no idea where the vehicles were coming from and how many people were a part of this _other_ group.

With the motorcycle directly across from them, Beth felt her anxiety growing at being so close to making their exit. Running across the road, Beth hopped on the leather seat behind Daryl and waited in silence as Daryl listened. The vehicle didn't sound any closer than it had a moment ago, but it didn't sound like it was driving further away either.

"You think they'll hear you start it up?" Beth questioned barely above a whisper.

"No doubt," came Daryl's gruff response.

"What d'we do?" Beth gripped the sides of his leather vest tightly.

"We'll ride down to tha' next rail crossin'. It's a good ways outta' tha' way, but we can't chance them followin' us if they don't know where we are already," Daryl glanced over his shoulder at her.

Beth's response was burying the side of her cheek between his shoulder blades and wrapping her arms around him tightly. She knew the moment he started up the bike, they would have a very small window of time to get away from the area before the truck would find them.

Holding her breath, she closed her eyes and said a silent prayer as Daryl rose from his seated position to kick start the bike. She opened her eyes and watched behind them as Daryl revved the biked several times, expecting the truck to show up at any moment. When she felt Daryl sit back down and the momentum of the bike beginning to move, she kept her eyes at their backs. She wasn't sure how long she stared over her shoulder, but she didn't feel truly safe until Daryl reached a railroad crossing much further down than the one that they had used previously and were on their way toward Terminus. She never saw sight of the truck tailing them.

…

Arriving at Terminus didn't feel as relieving as Beth had hoped. Instead of the security the fences and brick buildings should have provided, she instead felt trapped. The chain link fences that served their purpose in keeping things out made Beth feel imprisoned and the brick buildings blocked her view of her surroundings. She wanted nothing more than to grab her essentials, drag everyone she loved out of Terminus, and bolt into the seclusion of the woods she had become so accustomed to.

Stepping off the bike, Beth breathed in deeply. There was a certain electricity to the air. Every breath she took seemed to heighten her sixth sense. She had gotten this far by trusting her gut and it was telling her that things were about to get _very_ bad.

"We should find Rick," Daryl mentioned while leaning the bike on its kickstand.

"Daryl…" Beth paused.

She didn't know how to communicate the feeling she was experiencing. She was sure she would probably come off sounding paranoid and she wouldn't blame anyone for thinking so with her having claimed to have seen her previous abductor, but she couldn't stand not saying something about the ominous atmosphere.

When she was sure she had his complete attention, she continued, "Somethin's wrong. Or is about to go wrong. I dunno'. I can't explain it, but I just got this…feelin' like things are about t'get _really_ bad."

Daryl's gaze bore into her for several moments before he looked away. He brought his hand up and smoothed down his facial hair in a sort of nervous habit.

"You think I'm overreactin'?" Beth found herself asking without realizing the words had slipped past her lips.

"Nah. I think you're smart. A gut feelin' usually ain't wrong," Daryl's eyes flickered over to her before staring off into the distance once more, "I'm feelin' it too. I didn't wanna' worry ya', but somethin' is definitely off."

Although the admission should have made her anxious, she felt an odd sort of relief in the fact that Daryl too felt the unease that had settled around her.

"What are we gonna' do?" Beth asked hesitantly.

Daryl's hand dropped to grip the strap of his crossbow, "First we're gonna' get Rick t'get the group together an' tell'em what we saw. Then we're gonna' go and figure out what these son of'ah bitches are up to and how big 'ah group they got. We'll figure out where t'go from there."

Beth felt her lips quirking up in the corners at Daryl's confidence. Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck and let herself relish in the comfort his presence provided. She could feel his hands hovering, knew he wasn't quite sure where to place them, but allowed herself this one selfish moment regardless of his awkwardness. Their scouting mission had been a bit more traumatizing for her than she had let on and she just wanted to feel _safe_ , even if for only a few seconds.

His hands settled on her hips, his touch so feather-light that she barely felt them through the material of her shirt. Inhaling his scent, Beth squeezed him tightly before pulling back, offering him a genuine smile as a way of saying 'thank you.'

Clearing his throat, Daryl removed his hands from her sides, and jerked his head towards the courtyard area, "Come'on. We need to find Rick and get this shit sorted out."

Beth nodded and followed behind him down the maze-like pathway that led to the courtyard. She walked with her head down, staring at Daryl's feet to guide her, lost in her own thoughts. When building gave way to the opening of the courtyard, she heard Carol's voice before she saw her.

"You're back! Everything go okay?" Carol said looking between Daryl and Beth.

"Not as well as I woulda' liked," Daryl muttered loud enough for Carol to hear.

"What happened?" A third voice joined the conversation.

Beth looked around Carol to see Sasha approaching them, holding Judith securely on her hip. Having not spent time with Judith over the past week, Beth was elated to see the infant safe and happy. Beth moved to Sasha and toyed with one of the bracelets Beth had given the child to chew on.

"Closest we got to a teethin' ring," Sasha smiled while handing the child over to Beth.

She could hear Daryl and Carol talking about the truck, about the similarities of the cross on the back, and she could _feel_ Carol's concerned stare, but Beth refused to let anyone see her distress get to her. She didn't want to appear weak after all she had done to prove she could handle herself. Being vulnerable in front of Daryl was one thing, but letting others see behind her walls was another matter entirely.

"She okay?" She heard Carol direct toward Daryl.

Beth pinched Judith's nose playfully, attempting to seem oblivious to the conversation about her a few feet away. Smiling when Judith giggled and made attempts at speech, Beth listened for Daryl's reply.

"I'm lookin' after her," Daryl's ambiguous reply left Beth feeling a mixture of comfort and unease.

She thought she had kept herself together well enough while they were out, despite the overwhelming emotions that took hold when she realized she _had_ to of seen her captor and that there were in fact others he was in association with, but that didn't appear to be the case. Evidently her recollection of her behavior and Daryl's were vastly dissimilar.

"Make sure you do," Carol's reply carried an underlying tone.

Turning her attention away from the two behind her, Beth glanced up to see Sasha watching her interact with Judith.

"She had enough food?" She said to Sasha; attempting to cover for her eavesdropping.

"For now," Sasha replied, "Havin' more than we need is never a bad thing though."

"She's over a year old now. She was born during the summer when we first took the prison. So once she finishes this container of formula, she'll be eating more solid foods. She's gotten' plenty of teeth now," Beth explained while making a face at Judith who gave her a snaggletooth grin.

"You're going to be a really good mom someday," Sasha commented, catching Beth off-guard.

"She's a natural," Carol added while moving to stand next to Sasha.

Before she could reply, she felt someone approach from her right. Glancing up, her eyes locked with Daryl's. He was standing closer than necessary, something that Carol and Sasha definitely wouldn't miss, and even though he wasn't touching her physically, Beth could feel his presence engulf her.

"I'm gonna' catch up with Rick," Daryl said as he reached around to tousle Judith's hair.

"'Kay," Beth adjusted Judith, who was reaching blindly for Daryl, to get a better hold, "I'm gonna' go find Maggie. I need t'talk to her about some stuff."

"I'll find ya' later," Daryl acknowledged, wiggling his finger free from Judith's grasp.

"I'm fine Daryl," Beth felt she needed to clarify that while she was still unnerved about their finding earlier; she was going to be alright.

Daryl's response was to glance at her, eying her from head to toe, before leaving to find Rick.

There was an awkward silence between the three of them. Clearing her throat, Beth was about to bid her farewell and go search for her sister, when Sasha spoke first.

"What was _that_ about?" The smirk Sasha gave her had Beth unsure of how reply.

"What was what about?" Beth asked, not sure which part Sasha was referring to.

" _That_ was Daryl checking in," Carol's lips lifted into a knowing smirk.

"He was just lettin' me know where he was goin'," Beth tried to downplay the interaction.

"And when has Daryl Dixon _ever_ told _anybody_ where he was goin' or what he was doin'?" Sasha crossed her arms over her chest to accentuate her point.

"He tells Rick stuff all the time. Glenn. My daddy…" Beth mentioned her father quietly.

"Not the same thing," Sasha quirked a brow at her.

"Why not?" Beth asked trying not to read too much into what Sasha was suggesting.

Sasha and Carol exchanged a look that Beth wasn't sure she understood.

"When it comes to you, Daryl…he's different with you," Carol kept her explanation elusive.

Beth was well aware that things between her and Daryl were different than their relationship between other members of the group. They were more than just two people in a group, surviving together. They were more than _just_ friends. He made her feel safe. She wanted to protect him as much as he had protected their group. She found him attractive. His kisses made her knees weak and any conscious thought impossible. She trusted him and he obviously felt some sort of attraction towards her by his actions. She supposed that she shouldn't be surprised that others were already aware of what she had only recently come to realize. However, she wasn't ready to think things went beyond mutual attraction. That led to deeper emotions and thoughts of the future and she was doing good just making it day to day.

"Oh honey," Sasha's smile reached from ear to ear.

"What?" Beth wasn't liking how intently Sasha was looking at her.

"Don't worry about it," Carol reached out and patted Beth's cheek gently with her palm, "You want to take Judith with you? I can keep her if you have things to do."

Thankful for Carol's interference, Beth exhaled softly. Unsure what to make of the unspoken familiarity that had transpired between Carol and Sasha, Beth furrowed her brows and shook her head, "No. I can take her. I'm just gonna' talk to Maggie. I haven't spent enough time with Judith lately anyway."

"Alright. We'll be in that building over there," Carol pointed to a building Beth had never been in before, "helping with the laundry."

"Tyreese is there now folding clothes," Sasha sounded nervous, "we should get going so we don't have to re-fold an entire basket."

Carol laughed and then quickly sobered, "Oh, Beth, here," Carol placed a cool, metal trinket in Beth's hand, "Since I don't need to keep it safe anymore."

Looking down into her palm, she recognizing the double-heart pendant that Beth's mother had given her. In light of recent events, she had completely forgotten that she had given it to Carol, before they infiltrated Terminus, to keep safe for Judith…just in case. Her brows still furrowed, she moved her eyes to the retreating figures walking toward the building Carol had indicated. Tilting her head to the side, she focused on Carol's remark of how Daryl acted with her.

"I feel like everyone else knows more than I do," she murmured to Judith.

Noticing that she was standing out in the open, lost in thought, Beth mentally shook herself and turned in the direction of their sleeping quarters. She wasn't sure where Maggie would be at this time of day, as they hadn't set any sort of permanent schedule yet, but figured the room she shared with Glenn would be the best place to start.

…

Searching for Maggie had proven to be more of a daunting task than Beth had originally anticipated. When she hadn't found her in her room, Beth asked a few people in the hallway if they knew where her sister was as she passed them, but no one had seen Maggie. She then scoured the cafeteria, the armory, the communications room they had come across when they had first snuck over the fences of Terminus, and every other building she thought her sister might be located. When she couldn't find any trace of Maggie, she began looking for Glenn, only to incur with the same result. No one could even tell her if the couple was still in Terminus.

By the time Beth had returned to her room, worry had officially begun to gnaw at her stomach. Knowing she had gotten the word out enough that when someone did see Maggie, they would let her know Beth had been searching for her, she settled for patiently waiting until Daryl finished up with Rick before demanding they form a search party to find her two missing family members.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she had fed Judith and the infant had fallen asleep since she had retreated back to her room. Lying on the bed next to Judith, Beth closed her eyes to try and block out her thoughts. She knew she was probably overreacting, but the mental images she was envisioning were doing nothing to help calm her frayed nerves. Steadying her breathing, Beth focused on inhaling and exhaling, and counted Judith's heartbeats from where her hand laid gently over the baby's chest.

The world seemed to still, the only sounds she could hear were the occasional footsteps outside her door and Judith's light snore. She felt herself melting into the bed, finally allowing herself to feel a sense of security from being locked away in her room. This was not the prison and if someone else managed to get another tank up and running, well then they _deserved_ to take over Terminus.

A sharp knock at the door caused Beth to jump up. She had no recollection of falling asleep, but felt the lethargy in her muscles. Wiping a hand down her face, Beth moved to open the door.

"Hey," Maggie greeted her.

"Where the hell have you been? I looked all over for you," Beth hissed, trying to keep from waking the slumbering child on her bed.

"Me an' Glenn were talkin' with Rick when Daryl came in," Maggie briefly explained.

Beth made sure to keep her face neutral, "Rick tell you?"

Maggie nodded her head.

"You hear from Daryl?" She asked, stepping aside to let Maggie into the room.

"Yeah," Maggie answered quietly.

"I suppose you're wantin' me to explain some things?" Beth half-whispered as she sat on her bed, careful not to jostle Judith.

"If you can manage it," Maggie replied while sitting beside her.

Beth sat silently, organizing her thoughts as she was forced to re-live her ordeal. She didn't know how long she sat there or when Maggie had grabbed her hand, lost in the emotional rollercoaster she had experienced a year prior.

"Daryl and I got overrun by walkers," Beth started, "he told me t'run to the road. That he'd meet me there once he got away from tha' walkers."

She reached down with her free hand and grabbed her booted ankle, "I'd hurt my ankle. Stupid mistake," she scoffed, "Got it caught in a snare sneakin' up on a walker. I couldn't run. They would've caught me. So Daryl…he led them further into the mortuary while I got our stuff and climbed out a window."

She could feel the cool air of that night on her face as if she were standing in front of the funeral home, waiting for Daryl. She could hear the car approaching, being torn between hiding and hoping whoever it was in the car was coming to help.

"I should've run. I'd learned a lot from Daryl. He'd been teachin' me how t'track. Use a crossbow. One thing he'd always stressed t'me was to trust my gut. Ya' know, that sixth sense people have?" Beth looked to Maggie.

"Not everyone has it," Maggie acknowledged.

"Yeah. Daryl said that's not somethin' you can be taught. You either got it or you don't," Beth agreed.

"You've always had a sense for things," Maggie complimented her with a smile, reaching up to gently brush away some hair that had fallen from Beth's ponytail.

"I didn't listen to my gut that night. If I had just run instead of standing there like a deer in headlights then maybe…I dunno'…maybe Daryl wouldn't be carryin' around the guilt he does for openin' the door and letting the walkers in tha' house," Beth sighed.

She wasn't sure if Maggie had an opinion on the matter or was remaining quiet because she feared if she did make a comment, Beth would clam up.

Clearing her throat, Beth didn't dwell on her thoughts and continued, "A man got out of the car. He had a syringe and before I knew it, I was waking up in the trunk of his car. He drove me to some rundown house. I didn't give him the opportunity to do whatever it was he planned on doin'."

"How'd you get away?" Maggie sounded somewhat hesitant in asking.

"Used my belt to choke him unconscious and took off in his car 'til it ran out of gas. I ended up finding my sporting goods store and hiding out through the winter in a utility closet," Beth had finally linked the story she had told her sister when they had first reunited with the details she had omitted.

"Were you alone? All winter?" Maggie's voice seemed surer this time.

"I never joined another group," Beth answered.

"You should've," Maggie admonished before backtracking, "Why didn't you?"

Beth was well aware of Maggie's concerns. Daryl had said it once, that people can't survive without each other, but Maggie hadn't seen the things she had. She hadn't watched people be murdered for their possessions. Beth had had to take lives just to make it back to her utility closet in the hopes that she might come across someone from their group the next day…or week…or ever. She had never lost hope that her family had survived the fall of the prison. That she would one day find Daryl and that everything would fall back into its tattered place.

"I met some people passing through. I had a few run-ins with people. There aren't many people left like us…men like Daryl or Glenn," Beth hoped her explanation was enough.

Maggie nodded solemnly. She released Beth's hand to wrap her arm around her. Beth felt a pressure on her shoulder and glanced back to see her sister resting her head against her like she had done so many times before.

"I had to do some things…when I was alone," Beth admitted.

Beth felt her sister shake her head against her back before answering, "It doesn't matter."

"It should," Beth exhaled dismally.

"It doesn't. You bein' here, _that's_ what matters," Maggie argued.

"They might've had people waiting for them," Beth confessed one of the thoughts that had haunted her most.

"If you had to go to that extent," Maggie kept her explanation vague, "they didn't have anyone they truly cared about waitin' for them."

Beth absorbed the comfort of her sister's embrace. She hadn't realized the weight of her guilt at not being honest with Maggie until now. Revealing the specifics of what had happened when she and Daryl were separated was immensely alleviating. Beth felt she could relate to Tara on a much more intimate level.

"About Tara," Beth allowed her thoughts to lead her into the next topic she had wanted to discuss with Maggie.

Maggie's grip tightened, "Yeah?"

"I have nothing to forgive her for," Beth stared at the wall in front of them.

"I know," Maggie concurred.

"She didn't know…she didn't know The Governor. She didn't know us. She did what she thought was best for her family. It wasn't her fault and I hope that she can forgive _us_ ," Beth elaborated.

"Forgive us? What do you mean?" Maggie lifted her head from Beth's shoulder.

"We never took the time to get to know her. We never made any extra effort to make her feel welcomed into the group. She was utterly alone and we were too busy with everything else in the world to notice how sad she truly was," Beth's voice shook ever so slightly.

They sat in silence. Maggie had released her hold on Beth and was now looking at her hands clasped in her lap.

"When did you become so insightful?" Maggie's sniffle did not go unnoticed.

"You know…being locked up in 'ah utility closet, in the dead of winter, with nothing but your thoughts will do that to ya'," Beth smiled and bumped her shoulder against her sister.

Maggie let out a choked laugh and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

At the sudden commotion, Judith began to stir. Beth swiveled around and picked up the flailing infant, bringing her to her chest where Judith nestled her head into the crook of Beth's neck and resumed her slumber.

"Daryl told me to tell ya' he'd be in his room when we were done talkin'," Maggie mentioned when Beth had gotten Judith settled back down.

"Oh, okay," Beth nodded.

"So…you and Daryl?" Maggie's voice held an accusatory tone.

"Why does everyone keep askin' me that?" Beth sighed.

"Because it's pretty obvious," Maggie said with a wry smile.

"What's obvious?" Beth grumbled.

"That you two are head over heels for each other, in your own little way," Maggie clarified.

"Daryl's not 'head over heels' for me," Beth quoted her sister.

"But you are for him?" Maggie's smile got wider.

"No! Yes…I don't know," Beth's shoulder sunk in frustration, "It's complicated."

"Well Daryl's pretty complicated," Maggie patted Beth's knee, "but he's definitely got _somethin'_ for ya'."

"It's scary," Beth murmured.

"It's scary _without_ the world bein' in some sort of post-apocalyptic state, but that doesn't mean you should run away from it," Maggie disclosed softly.

"It's different with Daryl. Different than it was with Jimmy. Not even comparable to whatever I had with Zach," Beth scrunched her forehead in deep thought.

She felt Maggie staring at her and turned her attention to her sister. The smile on her face and the look in her eye disturbed Beth, but she wasn't sure exactly why.

"Daddy would've approved. Daryl's a good man. He wasn't the greatest guy in tha' world when we met 'em, but he's come into his own. Daddy would've been very proud that you found a man like him," Maggie's even voice expressed genuine honesty.

Beth let out a shuddering breath and blinked her eyes several times to keep her tears at bay. She suddenly remembered Maggie announcing the same thing to her when they were walking through the woods after escaping Terminus. The mindset Beth had had then in regards to her relationship with Daryl and her mindset now was on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Maggie had known, even back then, before Beth had any inkling of how deep her feelings for Daryl went. While Beth had been referring more to how great of a _team_ she and Daryl made, Maggie had been referring to how great they were for each other.

"Daryl's a great man," Beth repeated.

"I'm glad we had this talk," Maggie reached down and took her hand.

Beth squeezed it twice, "I am too. Feels like _before_."

"Yeah. It does," Maggie squeezed her hand in return.

Maggie then stood and Beth followed behind her.

"Thank you," Maggie looked Beth straight in the eyes, "Thank you for bein' honest with me. Thank you for tellin' me all this. I know it must'ah been hard to do."

"It gets easier every time I talk about it," Beth replied with a weak smile.

"Good," Maggie returned with a smile of her own, "Rick's gonna' talk to everyone at dinner. Daryl can give you tha' details when you talk to him."

"Okay," Beth nodded.

"I'm gonna' go catch up with Glenn," Maggie pulled her into a hug, "I'll see you at dinner."

Beth hugged her sister back, careful of the sleeping baby in her arms, "Yeah."

Maggie turned and opened Beth's door, pausing in the doorway, before turning back to Beth once more.

"Daddy would be proud of the woman you've become," Maggie declared firmly.

"He was proud of you too," Beth responded sincerely.

Beth stared at her sister until Maggie took a deep breath and exited the room.

Closing the door, Beth adjusted Judith in her arms. She knew Daryl would be expecting her, but she wanted to take a moment to come to terms with the conversation she'd just had with Maggie. She paced her room, gently rocking Judith in her arms and humming a tune her mother had hummed when she was a child. She felt a million pounds lighter.

A soft knock on her door brought Beth out of her reverie. Opening the door, she was met with an unexpected visitor.

"Sorry for intrudin'," the male voice apologized immediately.

"Not at all," Beth waved him off, "Everything okay Tyreese?"

"Oh yeah. Carol and Sasha shooed me out of helpin' fold the laundry. They said you had Judy. Just comin' to check on ya'. See if you're needin' a break," Tyreese informed her.

"Actually, I was goin' to see Daryl in a few minutes. He hasn't really gotten' to see her since we got back. Can I bring her to you after that?" Beth inquired.

"Sure. No problem. I'll be in the courtyard finding somethin' to do," Tyreese gestured down the hall to the exit.

Beth had found Tyreese's attachment to Judith endearing. Having cared for Judith for so long, Beth knew how empty it felt when she wasn't around. It had taken Beth a while to get used to having both of her arms free to use. Tyreese and Carol had taken care of Judith for months before running into their group on the train tracks. It was no surprise to Beth that Judith had managed to wrap Tyreese around her finger.

"Thanks," Beth said with a smile, "I'll find you in a bit."

She followed Tyreese down the hallway, stopping in front of the door that led to Daryl's room. Peering inside the partly open door, Beth saw Daryl sitting on his bed flipping through what looked like a manual.

"You busy?" Beth asked, pushing the door open a smidgen wider.

"Nah, come in," he flicked his wrist toward her in a gesture for her to enter.

"Whatcha' reading?" Beth asked as she sat across from him.

"Generator went down. Found this an' thought I'd see if I could get it runnin' again," Daryl held his place in the book and closed it so she could see the cover.

As if hearing Daryl's voice in her sleep, Judith's head rose from Beth's shoulder and she looked around the room. Beth knew from the squeal that she had spotted Daryl and promptly handed her over when Judith began reaching for him.

"How's my lil' asskicker?" He smiled as he spoke to the infant and Beth felt her heart melt a little at the scene.

"You've got some competition. Tyreese came lookin' for her a minute ago," Beth teased.

"Bullshit," Daryl spat lifting Judith above his head, "She knows better. Don't cha'?"

Beth laughed at Daryl's serious expression as he directed the latter question toward Judith.

"How'd yer' talk with Maggie go?" Daryl asked glancing over to Beth.

"I told her everything," Beth answered earnestly.

"Yeah?" He looked back up at Judith as he brought her down to eye level.

"I feel relieved," Beth added.

"Good," Daryl replied with a nod.

Beth took the book Daryl had abandoned and absently scanned the page.

"Maggie said Rick's plannin' on talkin' to everyone?" Beth inquired.

"Yeah. I filled him in on what we saw. He's callin' a meeting in tha' cafeteria to let everyone know what's goin' on," Daryl divulged to her.

"Good. People need to know," Beth gripped the book tightly in her hands.

"We came up with a few options on what to do. Main thing is we gotta' know what we're up against," Daryl's voice barely registered.

Beth knew exactly _what_ they were up against. It was how many and why that disturbed her. She also noticed that Daryl seemed slightly… _off_. He was always tightlipped when it came to conversations, but his clipped tone and vague explanation didn't go unnoticed.

"I told you I'll keep ya' safe," Daryl seemed to read her expression.

Beth didn't reply. She knew Daryl would keep any harm from coming to her, and the group, but at what cost? She refused to lose anyone else. They had just begun to scratch the surface of what was going on between them and she wasn't about to let that be taken away.

"I've got your back," Beth finally responded with the only phrase she felt could express her feelings.

Even though she was aware of the inevitability of losing more people, that didn't mean she planned to let anyone go without a fight. She was just as willing as Daryl to put her life on the line in order to keep him and everyone else safe. She wasn't sure she could survive losing anyone else close to her heart. She had survived her mother's death _twice_ , Otis, Patricia, other members of their group, and her father. She had experienced too much loss.

Enough was enough.

…

Beth took a seat beside Carl. She hadn't seen him since she'd gotten back, but had heard he'd been taking watch any time there was an opportunity. Beth understood his frustration. She knew what it felt like to be treated as a child; however, the difference was that Carl _was_ a child. Although by experience he was probably more to the equivalent of a twenty-something year old, he was still physically only fifteen.

"You okay?" Carl asked as she settled into her seat.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Beth tried to feign casualness.

"I was in the room…when my dad talked to Maggie and Glenn. Michonne and I had just finished a patrol around the fences," Carl explained as the room began to fill.

"So you heard from Daryl too then?" Beth assumed.

"Michonne did. I left before he got there," Carl clarified, "So are you? Okay?"

Beth looked at him and gave him a reassuring smile, "I'm alright. I'll be better once we know more of what's goin' on."

Carl seemed to agree with her statement and refrained from asking any more questions. That was one trait she appreciated about Carl. Whether he believed her when she said she was alright or if he knew she was lying, he didn't pry. He was a lot like Rick, and even Daryl, in that sense; he offered silent support. Didn't ask a whole lot of questions, but made his presence felt in case she ever needed to vent. It saddened her to think of how much he had lost growing up in the world they lived in now, but then again, they had _all_ lost something.

Not wanting to focus on those thoughts, Beth scanned the room. She found it odd that she hadn't seen Daryl since she left with Judith to take the baby to Tyreese as she had promised. Maggie and Glenn were nowhere in her immediate vicinity either.

"You seen Mags? Or Daryl?" Beth asked Carl as she looked from table to table.

"Yeah, over there," Carl pointed to the back exit.

Beth turned in her seat to find Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, and Michonne huddle together in the back of the room. Beth's stomach dropped. A voice coming from the front of the room, which she soon identified as Rick's, began speaking.

"I've called you all here today because we have an issue that needs to be addressed," Rick began as the room immediately filled with murmuring.

Beth turned away from the group at the back to focus her attention on Rick. She could feel the unease in the room and it only heightened her already sensitive nerves.

"Last winter, as many of you are aware, my group was split up when our place of residence was attacked. Two of our members who got out together were later overrun by 'ah herd of walkers. One of them was abducted. They managed to get away, but they had a pretty good idea of what they had planned," Beth appreciated that Rick was keeping his description of what had happened to her discreet, "That same person who was abducted is here, with us now, and they believe they have seen others who may or may not be workin' together with their captor."

"What makes you think they're from the same group?" A voice shouted out from somewhere in the middle of the room.

"The car that abducted them had 'ah white cross painted on the back windshield. They have since seen two other vehicles in a nearby neighborhood that bore tha' design on the back window," Rick confirmed.

The room exploded into shouts of 'what do we do,' 'is it safe to stay here,' and various other expressions of panic. Beth could hear Rick trying to calm everyone down, but fright had already taken over a majority in the room.

Beth was at a loss for what to do. People were beginning to stand, trying to be heard over the crowd, while others were beginning to move toward the exits, which were effectively blocked by Daryl at the back and Abraham at the front.

A sharp whistle caused Beth to flinch and the room immediately quieted down.

"Listen," Rick yelled, "I know everyone is afraid, but we gotta' keep our heads. We start panickin' and leave the safety of these fences, they're just going t'pick us off one by one if tha' walkers don't get us first."

"So what do we do?" A woman sitting a few seats down from Beth hollered out.

"We're gonna' up security. We'll have an extra set of eyes on every perimeter building. If they're driving around lookin' for people to pick up, it's not going t'be hard to miss them if they make their way this far," Rick replied.

"We can't just hide here and wait for them to show up on our door step," another voice rose above the chatter.

"They already know where we are! There are signs everywhere," someone exclaimed.

"Alright, now everybody just _calm down_ ," Rick interrupted, "We're goin' to have people watchin' the tree line for people, but they're not goin' to be able to jus' march up here without us seein' 'em. There are walkers out there too. They're not going t'be able to hang around in the bushes for very long and we know to be on tha' lookout for 'em."

"So what are you proposin' we do then?" A man Beth recognized asked tersely.

"I've had a few people from my group volunteer t'go out an' find their camp. See how many we're dealin' with," Rick answered.

"He _knew_ ," Beth hissed causing Carl to look in her direction.

"Who did?" Carl asked confused.

The room spun as Rick's words sunk in. Beth whirled around in her chair to glare at Daryl. His eyes were already on her, which only validated that he was well aware of this plan when she talked to him in his room. Her eyes flashed to Maggie and Glenn who blatantly stared forward.

Everything made much more sense. She had spent a good half hour looking for Maggie and Glenn and she couldn't say how long it had been before Maggie came to her room. The entire time she had been looking and waiting for her sister, they had been planning this trip out with Daryl and Rick. It also explained Daryl's curt tone and lack of detail on the 'options' he had discussed with Rick.

"Once we know more about them, we have another decision to make," Rick continued, forcing Beth to return her attention to the front of the room, "Depending on the level of threat this group poses, we'll have to decide whether it'll be safe for us to leave for Washington."

Beth cut her eyes to Abraham who continued to monitor the front door. His lack of reaction meant that he had already been briefed on the situation.

She could feel her blood burning through her veins. She wasn't sure why she hadn't been informed of what the plans were or if she had even been included in any of the thought process that had been put into deciding what to do about their _neighbors_ , but the fact that everyone seemed to know what was going on except her and those not in the 'original' group infuriated her. Not only had Maggie kept this from her when Beth had been completely honest with her, but _Daryl_ hadn't told her everything either.

"First things first," Rick began wrapping up the meeting, "the group is leaving out first thing in tha' mornin' to track down their camp. We'll decide what to do from there."

As others began to slowly filter about the room, getting their food, Beth no longer had an appetite. She clenched her jaw tightly and slammed her palms against the table, earning a cautious look from Carl. Abruptly standing from her seat, Beth stalked to the back door and glared up at Daryl who was now leaning against the wall.

"Beth, let us explain," Maggie began.

Sending her sister an equally fierce stare, Beth shook her head, "I don't care if you were trying to protect me or if you didn't think I could handle goin' back out, but you should've been honest with me…just like I was honest with you."

Maggie pressed her lips into a firm line and said nothing more.

Beth turned back to Daryl. His expression told her that he had something he wanted to say, but it was something for only her to hear.

"I guess this makes us even," Beth's voice took an eerily calm tone.

The look he gave her meant he didn't quite understand.

Turning on her heel, Beth pushed open the back door and threw one last statement over her shoulder, "I'm coming whether you like it or not."

With that she exited the room. Angry tears filled her eyes and she hastily wiped them away. It hurt her pride that Daryl had wiling kept something like this from her. She knew in some twisted way he was probably looking out for what he considered to be her best interest, but this was something she was already a part of, right smack in the center. At least when she had kept the information about the car from him, it had been because of justifiable reasons.

Bursting into the courtyard, she breathed in the cool night air and let it soothe her raging emotions. After taking a few moments to calm down, Beth felt another sensation wash over her. The hairs on the back of her neck began standing on end and she could feel someone watching her. The feeling was suffocating. Swallowing to keep bile from rising up her throat, Beth took hasty steps to the building that provided their sleeping quarters. She felt her anxiety increase with every step she took, as if someone was chasing her, and she didn't stop running until she was safely in her room with her back pressed firmly against the door.

Whoever it was that had yelled during the meeting about the Terminus signs was right. They had already found Terminus. They were out there, in the dark, among the walkers.

_They were watching._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAAAHHHH! 2 hours and counting until I'll be watching the season 5 premier! Cannot wait! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and let me know what you think! XOXO


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
 **Thank you**** Nicole137137 for editing this chapter before leaving on your vacation so I could post this a week early! You are amazing and I am ridiculously jealous you're at Disneyland right now! ~.-

 **A/N:** Three quick things! First! I meant to post this on last weeks chapter, but forgot! My stories are being translated into Spanish! AlisaRB asked permission to translate all my stories and I jumped on the opportunity! I am beyond flattered and absolutely love the idea of being able to reach out to other readers! I'll post the link if anyone is interested! She's translating the For the Ones trilogy so it may be a little while before those are posted in Spanish.

https://m.fanfiction.net/u/5390498/

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Second! Some story suggestions!  Something I've learned about publishing is that there are SOOOO many stories out there that you're lucky if you get a few reviews! I've been fortunate enough to gather some wonderful readers and I have some very loyal reviewers! Some of of those said reviewers have asked me to read their stories. With how supportive they've been to me, the LEAST I can do is help promote their works! SO...that being said, I've read all of these stories and they're all very unique in their own way! These are all stories found on Fanfiction.net!

**Sarakaroline8 : Many Hearts to Tread (Sherry was prepared to survive the living dead. She wasn't prepared for the heartache and messed up world that came when Negan came along.) Interesting look into a background character of the comic books. She promises it's spoiler free so if you're in the mood for something different it was an entertaining read!

**DarylDixon'sLover : Road to Nowhere (When Daryl and Beth get separated, a mysterious girl helps Beth escape Terminus, and leads her back to her family, but can she find a family of her own?) It's a Daryl/OC (original character) story so if you don't mind OC's, it was a fun read. Very interesting take on some of the Terminus characters.

**GougeAway : Signs (Beth Green's diminishing belief in God is a long and arduous process. A Beth-centric two-shot. Snapshots of Beth's life before and after the fall of the prison, but ultimately focussing on her search for Daryl and her wavering belief in God.) I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS STORY! It was beautifully thought out, portrayed the characters as we see them in the show, and was wonderfully enlightening for being a semi-cannon storyline. Highly suggest reading this! I'm very picky about Daryl/Beth stories and this is way up there on my list! If for no other reason, check it out as a favor to me! She's also written a story called For Blue Skies which I haven't gotten to read yet, but absolutely will be first chance I get!

If any of you have stories you've published and would like me to check out, feel free to leave me a message and I'll do so when I have down time to read!

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Third! I had someone ask if I would be interested in fanart, even if they weren't an 'artist'...WELL OF COURSE! In my opinion, art is a representation of oneself, so what some may think is beautiful, others may have different opinion about and vice-versa. There is no such thing as 'bad' art! If I inspire you to draw something or write something or whatever else, please, PLEASE let me know! I can admire it by myself if that's what you want, but I would absolutely love to share it with all my readers. I have been given so much inspiration from theories and questions everyone has sent me in reviews/pm's (and yes I have answered EVERY SINGLE REVIEW ever posted on my stories...unless you have private messaging disable and I'm not allowed to send you pm's or you review as a guest and I can't pm you) so if I inspire you in any way to do something, please send it to me! It doesn't have to be a scene exactly from the story, pose for pose, because it's your interpretation! I would NEVER be unhappy with any fanart I received! All forms of art are welcome!

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Now that all of that is out of the way! Onwards to chapter 19!

...

Beth sat against her door, her arms wrapped around her knees, pressing them tightly against her chest while trying to shake the feeling from the courtyard. She had heard people in the hallway. They had long since gone into their rooms and most were probably getting ready to go to sleep for the night. She didn't know how long she had been sitting, holding herself so compactly until her muscles began to ache and she had lost all feeling in her legs, but she knew she needed to move.

Disentangling her limbs, she moved her legs straight out in front of her, sucking in a sharp breath as pins and needles shot down her lower appendages. When the stinging sensation had subsided, she slowly stood and stretched her back. Twisting from side to side a few times and lifting her arms high over her head, she felt the kinks and knots gradually loosening from her muscles.

She would be sleeping with her knife under her pillow and crossbow loaded beside her on the bed for a few nights, but that wasn't exactly a bad habit to have nowadays. Flicking on the light to her room, it sputtered and waned until it barely lit the room.

"Figures," Beth sighed, realizing the generator that Daryl said had gone down was affecting the lighting of her room.

Snatching up her crossbow from the small desk, Beth moved back across her room and sat on the edge of her bed. Cleaning her crossbow had become a sort of meditation. It kept her hands occupied and her mind focused on the task at hand.

With her anxiety dwindling, her anger at what had happened in the cafeteria came back at full force. She was so tired of people always doing what they thought was best for her when she had proven time and time again that she _wasn't_ a _child_. If it had just been Maggie, she could've probably forgiven her after she had gotten over her initial irritation, but Daryl? No. He had been all about how she could take care of herself when they infiltrated Terminus. When had his opinion of her changed? She hadn't handled coming across the truck as well as she probably should have, but this was a _personal_ vendetta.

Beth stopped cleaning her crossbow. Was that it? Was that the difference? She was _too_ involved in this and they saw her as a liability? Was she a liability? If they came across the man who had kidnapped her would she be able to do what needed to be done or would she freeze in fear?

Shaking her head, resuming her cleaning, Beth knew _exactly_ what she would do if she ever met her captor face to face. If he ever threatened anyone she loved. If she ever had the chance to finish what she had started, she wouldn't hesitate. Who knows how many more innocent people… _girls_ …he had taken since she was abducted. The more she thought about that day, the more she regretted not finishing the job.

Some people just didn't belong in this world anymore. She didn't believe herself to be in any moral standing to decide who lived and who died, but if killing someone saved the lives of an unknown number of innocent people, that was justifiable enough to her.

A soft knock at the door made Beth jump. Quietly pulling out her knife, she cleared her throat and spoke through the door.

"Who is it?" She asked; gingerly placing her cross on the ground and rising from her bed.

"S'me," a gruff voice replied.

Beth roughly thrust her knife back into its sheath and marched up to her door, ripping it open harder than necessary.

"Can we talk?" The request came quietly

"Oh so now you wanna' tell me what's goin' on?" Beth glared.

"S'not like that," Daryl replied roughly.

"Then how is it?" Beth countered.

"We gonna' do this in tha' middle of tha' hallway?" Daryl furrowed his brows at her, glancing over his shoulder to what Beth couldn't see.

Sighing, she opened up her door enough to let him in. Once he had crossed her threshold, she peeked outside to see a few people still roaming the halls looking in her direction. Stepping back in, she firmly closed her door and turned around, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against her door for support.

Daryl watched her from where he stood in front of her bed. She refused to be the first one to talk. She had nothing to explain and had everything that needed to be explained to her.

"You uh…cleanin'?" He gestured to her crossbow on the bed before awkwardly placing his hands in his pockets.

"What's it look like?" She responded, stealing a phrase he'd said to her just the other day.

They stared at each other. Beth knew Daryl could feel her tension, but he deserved to feel uncomfortable. He deserved it and she was not going to feel guilty for being angry with him.

"Look," Daryl started, lifted a hand to scratch the back of his head.

Beth shifted, but made no comment.

"I know yer' pissed," he pointed out.

"You think I'm pissed?" Beth scoffed.

"Well ain't cha'?" Daryl growled.

"I'm not just pissed. I'm _hurt_ Daryl," Beth threw her arms open before letting them drop to her sides.

"That was never our intention," Daryl hesitantly took a step toward her.

"Oh no? Well the fact that _every_ one else seemed to know what was going on _except_ me is pretty freakin' upsettin'," Beth's voice rose.

"I wanted to tell ya," Daryl's rough voice vibrated in the silent room.

"Well good job. I knew _exactly_ what was goin' on didn't I?" Beth spoke through clenched teeth.

"It whadn't my job to tell ya'!" Daryl hollered.

"So talkin' t'me is a job now, huh?" Beth crossed her arms over her chest once more.

"Damnit girl! Quit twistin' everything I say," Daryl stepped toward her, chest heaving.

"Then quit tiptoein' around and just tell me what the hell that was back there and why you kept somethin' from me!" Beth approached him, equally disheveled.

Daryl walked her back into the door and planted his palms on either side of her head, staring straight into her eyes. She pressed herself farther against the door to glare up at him.

"Damnit Beth I wanted to tell you. I _woulda'_ , but Maggie said she would talk to ya' about it," Daryl heaved a sigh, looking more exhausted than when they'd come back from being out earlier looking for clues.

"She didn't tell me anything. I didn't know _anything_ until I heard it from Rick in the cafeteria," Beth glowered, "So where does that put me in _our_ group when people we met in a boxcar know more than I do?"

"I fucked up. That what you wanna' hear?" Daryl looked down at her incredulously.

His breathing was uneven as his chest rose and fell rapidly. She knew he was angry with himself for not saying something. She could feel the shame rolling off of him because whether he had meant to or not, he had kept something from her.

"It's a start," Beth retorted stubbornly.

Daryl dropped his gaze to the ground and all Beth could see was a mass of messy brown hair atop his head.

"We didn't want you to feel obligated t'come. I saw how you reacted out there. I wanted it t'be your choice. I didn't know she didn't say nothin'. I _swear_ I didn't know," Daryl's voice barely above a whisper.

"You should've known I would want…that I would _need_ to come," Beth's voice wavered slightly.

"I didn't mean t'…" Daryl mumbled.

"Well ya' did," Beth replied curtly, but upon seeing his wounded look, let out a deflated sigh, "but I'll get over it. I know it wasn't intentional."

It wasn't fair that he could look at her the way he was and all the anger she had felt simply melted away under his gaze. It wasn't fair that when one of his hands gently brushed her side, barely feeling the gesture, butterflies filled her stomach. It definitely wasn't fair that the moment he began to slowly lean forward she was already tilting her head up toward him.

His lips ghosted across hers and the world around them vanished. She tasted his wordless apology through their chaste kiss. When he pulled back, her eyes fluttered open and she was met with a smirking Dixon.

"That's not fair," she declared before she realized she had voiced her thoughts and swatted at his chest in mock annoyance.

"Life ain't fair," he quipped as he strutted over to her bed and fell onto his back.

Rolling her eyes she retained her place on the bed and picked her crossbow up off the floor. No longer needing the distraction, she gathered her rag and tube of oil and moved to put them in her bag. Replacing her crossbow on her desk, she turned and leaned against the wooden furniture. Bracing her hands by her sides, tightly gripping the wood, she bit her bottom lip.

"What is it?" Daryl asked from across the room.

Beth could hear the rustling of fabric and knew he was moving, but she couldn't break her gaze from the floor. She was afraid if she looked at him, that she wouldn't want to ruin the moment by telling him what was bothering her. She could easily pass it off as being tired and that would be the end of it, but after the incident in the cafeteria, she needed to be honest with him.

"Earlier today, when we were out in front 'ah that neighborhood, I felt like someone was watchin' us…watchin' _me_ ," Beth began, "I thought I was jus' being paranoid, but then after the meeting, I was standin' in the courtyard and I got that same feelin'."

Daryl was sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, and hands fisted together over his lips. For the most he look calm and collected, but his eyes told a different story entirely.

"Daryl…I think someone followed us. Or followed tha' signs. Whichever the case, they're already here. They're already watchin' us," Beth's wrapped her arms around her middle protectively.

"We'll talk t'Rick before we leave. Make sure he's got everything in order. Let'em know what you think," Daryl glanced up at her, "Ain't much of a surprise. Signs were advertisin' this place like it was 'ah god damned tourist center."

She nodded, feeling better having shared her burden, and came to sit by him on the bed.

"You gonna' be okay?" Daryl asked her, removing his hands from in front of his face to let them dangle over his knees.

"I think so," Beth admitted quietly

"Want me t'stay?" Daryl mumbled.

"You tryin' to suggest something Mr. Dixon?" Beth teased with a smirk.

Daryl gave her a flat look and she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.

"I'll take the floor," Daryl replied, pulling out the extra comforter from under her bed.

"Can you really not sleep in tha' same bed with me just because we've kissed?" Beth blurted out, ignoring the heat climbing up her neck from verbalizing their interaction.

"It ain't proper," Daryl grumbled at her, pointedly avoiding eye contact.

"You said you'd never claimed t'be a gentleman," Beth cleverly trapped him in a metaphorical corner.

"You got a thing for turning 'round what I say and usin' it against me tonight," Daryl groused.

"I'm just tryin' to spare you the aches and pains in the mornin'," Beth declared, "I trust you Daryl. It's just sleeping."

Daryl eyed her for a moment before arranging himself on the floor.

"Night Beth," Daryl ended the argument.

Sighing, Beth clambered off her bed, flicking off the light and climbed back in bed.

"Stubborn man," Beth mumbled while pulling the covers around her.

She felt better hashing things out with Daryl, but she had every intention of waking up, finding Maggie, and asking her why she never mentioned their plan. She could pull the 'big sister' card all day if she wanted, but Beth was coming with them, with or without her approval.

Snuggling down into the covers, she felt a slightly twinge of guilt for being upset with Daryl when he was honestly thinking of her by not saying anything. Maggie had wanted to tell her and he had respected her sister's wishes. The only assumption she could make was that they believed it would be easier for her to tell Maggie 'no' if she truly hadn't wanted to go back out with them. Regardless of their intentions, they had no right to make decisions for her. She would not feel guilty standing up for herself.

Closing her eyes she felt herself drifting off to sleep, feeling safer than she would have sleeping with her knife and crossbow.

…

Beth inhaled deeply. The smell of pine permeated her senses. She felt cocooned in warmth and she couldn't bring herself to open her eyes. Nestling further into the warmth, Beth took another deep breath and sighed contently. It felt like heaven. She had been fully intent on getting a few more minutes of sleep before she forced herself out of bed until she felt a grip around her waist tighten.

Her eyes flew open and after several blinks, she realized she was burrowed into the chest of a person, a man to be exact. It only took a moment for her to do the math. At some point during the night, Daryl had climbed in bed with her. That didn't disturb her in the slightest. What did bother her was that he was able to climb into her bed without her even realizing it. Did she feel _that_ safe around Daryl that she let her guard drop completely? The answer to her question was lying in the bed beside her, chin resting on her head, and arm wrapped around her waist. Carefully tilting her head back to look up at his face, Beth smiled at his sleep-tousled hair.

"Mornin'," Beth whispered.

"Hnn," Daryl grunted.

"How'd you sleep?" Beth asked with a hint of mischief to her voice.

"Don't even start," he mumbled incoherently.

"I just asked a question," Beth was smiling.

Daryl opened on eye and peered at her, "You're bein' a wise ass first thing in tha' mornin'."

"I prefer to be called witty," Beth continued to tease him.

"Jus' keep on Greene," Daryl huffed amusedly.

Beth stared at Daryl long after he had closed his eye. He looked so peaceful next to her and she wished they could stay safely locked behind her door for the rest of the day. The sun was beginning to rise and the rays were flittering through her small window. She knew they needed to go soon. They needed to stop by Rick's room and then meet Maggie and Glenn at the gates.

There had been reports of various small herds coming from the north and east by those doing patrols outside of the perimeter. It would be the perfect opportunity for someone to mask their scent with the blood and organs of the dead and sneak into their residence. That's what she would do in the given situation anyway.

The thought made Beth feel sick. What if something happened when they were gone? What if them leaving made the difference between keeping their home safe or people dying? They wouldn't even know where to begin looking for their group. It would be the prison all over again.

"We need a rendezvous point," Beth blurted out, propping herself up on her elbow.

Daryl's eyes opened and he leveled her with a penetrating stare.

"In case something happens when we're gone. Even if nothing happens while we're gone, we need to know a location to wait for everyone if something ever does happen. I don't want to get separated again," Beth's voice was steady.

Daryl nodded in agreement, "We'll mention it t'Rick before we leave. Get a meeting spot sorted out."

Leaning over, Beth leaned over and gently kissed his lips. Reassured by Daryl's confidence, a playful glint flashed in her eyes when she pulled back, only to lean in once more and nip his lower lip with her teeth. Her laugh filling the room at the shocked expression on his face, Beth tried to get away, only for Daryl's strong grip around her waist to hold her in place.

"Where tha' hell you think you're goin'?" Daryl growled, pulling her underneath him.

Any response she had planned to make was silenced by his lips.

…

Beth knocked on the door to Rick's room. She had decided she wanted to talk to Rick alone and ushered Daryl to go to Carol's room to recruit her help in getting everyone else from their small family unit together. She agreed to meet him in Bob's makeshift hospital so they could have some privacy. She was determined to get a rendezvous point set up before they left if it meant dragging everyone out of their bed.

"Hey Beth. Come on in," Rick answered groggily with a half-smile.

He held Judith against his chest while she chewed on the buttons of his shirt.

Reaching over to ruffle the baby's hair as she walked into the room, Beth turned her focus to Rick, "Maggie didn't tell me anything."

The look on his face registered that he understood what she was referring to.

He ducked his head, slowly bobbing it up and down, before answering, "She was s'pose to tell you everything. You weren't s'pose to find out that way."

"I already talked to Daryl. He explained everything," Beth informed him.

"You goin' with 'em?" Rick looked back up to her.

"I have to," Beth replied.

"No. No you don't. You don't _have_ to do anything," Rick furrowed his brows.

"If that man's out there…I have to be the one to end him," Beth's voice was strong as she forced her face to remain neutral.

"Look, I get it, but…" Rick sighed, "You have t'do what's best for you. Jus' don't forget you're not alone. Your dad…I learned a very valuable lesson from his life."

Beth swallowed hard.

"This world, it makes us do…" He paused as if mulling over the appropriate word to use, " _horrific_ things. Things that _before_ would'ah been the kind of acts from people I would hunt down and lock up. That time is over now. There is no right or wrong. There's just survivin', but you have us…when it's all over, you still have us."

"I know," Beth said with a sad smile, "This is selfish. It's probably a really bad idea for me to go with how personal this is for me, but I _need_ to go. I _need_ the closure. I want to get rid of my ghost, if I can."

Rick nodded his head.

Beth knew if anyone would understand her besides Daryl, it would be Rick.

"Jus'….I want you to promise me somethin'," the look in Rick's eyes was intense.

"What's that?" Beth asked hesitantly.

"I want you t'promise you'll come back. That you'll come back from wherever this takes you," Rick replied evenly.

"I…promise," Beth tried to keep her reply from sounding like a statement.

She had a sense that he wasn't meaning literally. She had seen Rick on the brink after Lori's death. During that time, he had changed. He was making the hard choices, doing things that had made her cringe, but he was keeping them alive. He had come back from all of it and saved them once more in Terminus.

"I promise I'll come back," Beth said more confidently.

"Good," Rick replied; hoisting Judith higher in his arms.

"I didn't just come here t'tell you that," Beth announced.

Rick looked to her with an expression that told her to continue.

"Yesterday when me an' Daryl were out," she took a steadying breath, "I felt like someone was watchin' us. I thought it was jus' because we were out in the same spot as that car and then seein' the truck; that maybe I was overreactin'. Then last night, while I was standing in the courtyard after the meeting, I felt it again. I know how it sounds, but my gut is tellin' me that there was someone out there. It wasn't just tha' walkers. There was 'ah person out there…somewhere behind the fence."

"Did you see anyone?" Rick asked.

"No, but I _know_ there was someone out there," Beth urged.

"Alright. I'll get with Michonne and double patrols," Rick informed her.

Beth was relieved that Rick had taken her seriously. They all knew someone finding them was bound to happen eventually so upping the patrols now as a precautionary measure definitely wasn't going to hurt anything.

"Daryl and Carol are getting everyone from our group together," Beth continued.

"What for?" Rick asked her while laying Judith on the bed to change her diaper.

"We need a meeting place for if we get split up," Beth announced.

Rick finished up with Judith and picked her back up to rest on his hip. When Judith started reaching, Beth stepped forward and took her from Rick without a moment's hesitation.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Rick agreed as he grabbed his belt off the nightstand and holstered his revolver.

"I don't want what happened at the prison to ever happen again," Beth said as an afterthought.

"It won't," Rick gently grabbed Beth's upper arm in a reassuring manner.

"I'd rather be safe than sorry," Beth countered.

Letting go of her arm, Rick walked across his room to his door, "There's nothin' wrong with that."

Walking through the door he held open for her, Beth gave him a reassuring smile as she led the way to where she hoped Daryl had gotten the rest of the group together. The morning air was cool and she hugged Judith a little closer to shield her from the cooler temperatures, but spring was well on its way.

Upon entering the clinic, Beth untucked Judith's head from under her chin, and checked to see if everyone was accounted for in the room. She was only slightly surprised to see that Abraham, Eugene, and Rosita were now a part of their group. Tyreese, Sasha, Carol, and Bob were huddled around Bob's supply shelf. Carl and Michonne were in the back of the room sitting on one of the cots. Glenn and Maggie were talking with Daryl, but all chatter stopped as soon as everyone noticed Rick and Beth.

She sent Maggie a look that hopefully translated to 'you are in _sooo_ much trouble.' Maggie glanced up at Daryl and it was obvious they had been discussing the situation that occurred last night. Glenn lifted his hand to wave at her and Beth removed her scowl long enough to give him a genuine smile.

"You wanna' do the honors?" Rick motioned for her to stand in the front of the room.

Rick was stepping aside to let her speak before the group. Even though she knew it was probably some sort of apology for the misunderstanding last night, she appreciated that he was trying to make sure she knew she was seen as an equal.

"When we were at the prison, we had an escape plan. We were all supposed to get on a bus Daryl and a few others got runnin' and get out together. When the prison fell we managed t'get most of the young, the sick, and the elderly on the bus, but there wasn't enough room for all of us. We didn't have a set place to meet up. We just assumed we would be together. I don't want that t'happen again. We need to decide on a meeting place. I don't know what happened to anyone on the bus, but we never came across any of them," Beth explained as her eyes traveled over everyone in the room.

Sasha stepped forward, glancing first at Maggie, then to Bob, and returned her gaze to Beth, "We found the bus. It was riddled with bullets holes. Either someone died of the flu or a gunshot wound. Either way…no one survived."

The room was silent for a moment before an unexpected voice spoke up.

"In the event a situation occurs that we must indeed evacuate the vicinity, we need to relocate to a place that can be fortified and secured in a timely fashion until all expected parties arrive," Eugene's flat tone filled the room.

"There was a little shack up tha' road," Tyrese spoke next, "Right off the road the intersection of track two sixty-eight."

"Yeah, we stopped there just before running into you guys in the wood. The windows are boarded up. It was sturdy enough to give us a place to rest. One door, not very big, but with a little care it could work," Carol agreed.

"That'll do for now," Rick joined in, "How long we wait?"

"It's only a few miles up the road. Shouldn't take more than a few hours to get there," Carol added.

"I would advise staying in one place no longer than twenty-four hours. Any longer than that…well…we'll just have to assume they've kicked the metaphoric bucket," Eugene remarked with an awkward smile.

Rosita swatted his arm, hissing loud enough for Beth to hear, "Easy dude. Have a little respect for the dead."

"I am unable to respect a body that reanimates itself and proceeds to attack without any provocation for the sole purpose of tearing the flesh and muscle adhering to my skeletal frame," Eugene argued.

"You're hopeless," Rosita rolled her eyes.

"That's enough you two," Abraham silenced them, "So no longer than twenty-four hours at this shack before we move out?"

"That works for me," Bob assented.

"Me too. Definitely a good plan to have," Glenn voiced his acceptance.

"Alright. If shit goes south, we know where t'go," Daryl reiterated.

"We're all in agreement then?" Rick inquired taking the floor.

"I believe so," Michonne answered looking around the room.

Everyone was nodding their heads, accepting the proposal that had been brought forth, and Beth felt an immense relief. At least now, when they left, if something happened they would know where to start looking. It would give them a direction at least and between her and Daryl, they would be able to track everyone down.

"So if we're done with the heavy decisions?" Abraham left his question open ended.

"Yeah, that's all for now. We'll have bigger issues t'discuss when they get back," Rick answered gesturing at Beth and gave her a knowing look, "Hey Michonne? I got somethin' I need t'talk to you about."

She watched as Rick led Michonne out of the room. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Daryl approaching her. He didn't say anything when he reached her, instead bending down to kiss Judith on the top of her head.

"Alright my lil' asskicker. I'm expectin' you t'hold down tha' fort while we're gone, ya' hear me?" Daryl spoke to Judith softly.

He was saying goodbye, which meant they were leaving.

Giving Judith a tight squeeze and a kiss on the forehead, Beth motioned to Carl.

"You guys leaving?" He asked taking his sister from Beth.

"Yeah. I'm gonna' grab a few things from Bob and then I think we're ready to head out," Beth looked to Daryl who confirmed her statement with a nod.

"Well…be careful. And if things get out of control," Carl paused, "do whatever you have to do to get back to us."

"Don't worry, we have Daryl with us," Beth cupped the side of her mouth with one hand to simulate whispering to Carl, "He destroyed a tank with his bare hands."

Carl laughed and Daryl scowled.

"I had 'ah grenade," he corrected her.

"You still had t'pull the pin with yer' finger. That's technically tha' same thing," Beth teased.

Daryl grunted and Carl laughed harder at the man's defeat.

"Don't let your dad be a hero and try to keep Terminus until we get back…if something happens. We'll find you guys. Jus' make sure all of our people get out," Beth's tone turning serious.

"I will," Carl promised.

Beth gave him a smile and glanced around the room for Bob. He hadn't moved from where he had been talking with Tyreese, Sasha, and Carol.

"I'm gonna' grab a few things from Bob," She informed Daryl.

He didn't reply and simply followed behind her as she crossed the room.

"Taking inventory?" She asked in greeting.

"Tryin' to keep up with what we're low on for when things get bad. I have some supplies packed up and ready to go if we have to rush out too," he informed her, "What can I do for you guys?"

"I wanted to see if there were a few things you could spare for me to take with us? Just in case," Beth inquired looking over the shelf.

"We don't have much, but take whatever you need. Just leave some for us," he teased while gesturing to the shelves.

Beth started sifting through the supplies, grabbing a bottle of alcohol, a box of surgical needles with attached thread for sutures, and few gauze pads. That would cover a more extensive wound at least. Anything more severe would be out of Beth's realm of expertise, not that she had much experience to begin with.

"How's your leg?" She heard Bob ask.

"It's healed up," Daryl replied gruffly.

"Look man," Bob's voice so quiet Beth could barely hear, "I know we said we were cool, but I just wanted you to know I haven't had a drop in months. Since we had our run-in before the prison fell."

Beth discretely looked over her shoulder to see Daryl biting his lip and nodding his head.

"I'm good. Things with Sasha are good. I'm not gonna' mess anything up," Bob sounded genuine, "I'm sober for good."

Things all of a sudden made sense to Beth. Daryl and Bob obviously had some sort of discrepancy. Apparently Bob had a drinking problem Beth hadn't been aware of and with walkers at every turn, they couldn't afford someone who wasn't of sound mind. It seemed like they had come to terms, but Daryl didn't easily forgive and forget. He hadn't trusted Bob to stitch up his leg. Beth couldn't blame him, but she didn't see Bob finding the time to fancy himself a drink while they had been taking Terminus.

"Make sure it stays that way," Daryl's raspy voice held a subtle threat, "We got people dependin' on ya'. With Hershel and Doc S gone…we need you t'be with us."

"You have my word," Bob replied.

"A man's only as good as his word," Daryl accepted.

Beth smiled. Daryl was all about the tough love. She had no idea there was an issue with Bob, and she doubted anyone else knew either. Maybe the few who saw the argument they'd had, but Daryl had kept quiet about the whole ordeal, sparing Bob judgment from the group. While Daryl had been looking out for the group, he had been looking after Bob too. If the group kicked him out, she wasn't sure how long he'd survive on his own again. That and there was the obvious safety risk to being drunk in the apocalypse.

"Alright," Beth feigned obliviousness to their conversation, "I'm all set."

"I'll let Glenn and Maggie know," Daryl announced.

When Daryl was out of hearing range, Beth turned to Bob, "In his own way, he's lookin' out for the group, but he's lookin' out for you too."

"You heard all that huh?" Bob asked her nervously.

"Yeah. He jus' doesn't want to lose anyone else," Beth explained, watching Daryl leave the room with Maggie and Glenn.

"I'm glad you two have each other," Bob declared causing Beth took look up at him, "Bein' alone as long as I was…happiness is so hard to come by nowadays."

"You're not alone anymore though," Beth smiled widely, "and I believe you're a good man Bob. So your word is good too."

"Thank you," Bob replied sincerely, "When you get back, come and see me. I have somethin' I need to tell you about."

Beth furrowed her brows, "Alright, I will."

"You take care out there," Bob patted her shoulder and returned to organizing the shelves behind them.

Beth looked curiously over her shoulder, wondering what Bob could possibly have to explain to her. Mentally shrugging her shoulders, she moved to exit the room to catch up with Daryl, Maggie, and Glenn who were waiting outside.

…

They'd been traveling for a couple of hours. Maggie and Glenn lagged behind them and Beth could hear them making small talk, but the overall tension around everyone was thick. Daryl hadn't said much to her and she was in no mood to have a conversation.

"Enough of this bullshit," Daryl mumbled and stopped in the middle of the road for Glenn and Maggie to catch up.

"What's goin' on?" Maggie asked; her eyes darting every which way.

"I need t'talk to Glenn," Daryl announced.

"Oh, uh, okay. What's up?" Glenn asked warily.

"Come'on," Daryl motioned for him to follow.

Wrapping an arm around Glenn's neck, Daryl practically drug Glenn away from the two girls.

"Ever the subtle one ain't he?" Maggie wrung her hands in a nervous habit Beth had seen on many occasion.

"That's Daryl for ya'," Beth sighed as she realized just what Daryl had forced her into.

They stood staring at the ground until Maggie moved and Beth could feel her eyes on her.

"I need to explain," Maggie said softly.

"Yeah," Beth looked up to meet her gaze, "You do."

"When Daryl came in and explained what was goin' on, we pretty well decided then an' there that we needed to know more about these people. Michonne went and got Abraham t'see what he thought. He wanted to leave for Washington right then and there," Maggie stated and turned to begin following behind Glenn and Daryl.

"He seemed fine at tha' meeting," Beth replied.

"We managed to work somethin' out. He gave us a chance t'see if this group will pose any real threat t'our family while we're gone or they could go without us," Maggie continued, "He was jus' fine with goin' alone, but Rick talked some sense into him. Explained how much of 'ah better chance he'd have gettin' Eugene to Washington with our help. All he had t'do was let us get the information we need."

"So why didn't you say anythin'?" Beth watched the emotions flit across Maggie's face.

"I wanted to. I went to yer' room expecting t'hear what Daryl had already told me and then I was gonna' tell you about our discussion and ask what you wanted t'do," Maggie explained, "but then you told me about before you met up with Daryl and about Tara and it jus' didn't seem like something I could ask after a conversation like that."

"You should've said something," Beth heaved a sigh, understanding her sister's position.

"I know. I went back t'your room before the meeting, but you weren't there," Maggie informed her, "I asked them to let me talk t'you about it because I knew you'd be honest with me. Daryl wanted to tell you, he said you'd tell him tha' truth or he'd be able t'tell if you were lyin'. I should've let'em."

"He explained what happened. I jus' didn't understand why you hadn't talked t'me. I didn't know you'd been lookin' for me before tha' meeting," Beth felt her annoyance at the situation dissipating.

"Where'd you go?" Maggie asked with a devious smile.

"I was with…Daryl?" Beth's hands flew to her crossbow as Glenn and Daryl came running toward them.

"We got a herd crossin' up ahead," Daryl grabbed Beth's arm and tugged her towards the woods.

Beth followed Daryl with Maggie and Glenn close behind.

"We have to lead them away from Terminus," Glenn hollered.

"How do you suggest we do that?" Maggie whispered, crouching beside Beth as they used the foliage for cover.

"We've got t'get their attention. Play bait," Beth suggested.

"Are you crazy? There are hundreds of them. One wrong turn and we're surrounded," Glenn exclaimed as quietly as possible.

"Nah. She's right. We don't do somethin', they're gonna' head straight for Terminus. That's too many for them t'deal with. They'll take down the fences," Daryl glanced between Beth and Glenn.

"Alright, so what's tha' plan?" Maggie inquired once more.

Beth watched Daryl chew on his bottom lip. She knew the same as he did that the only way to lessen the threat to Terminus was to dwindle the number of walkers headed in that direction. They needed to confuse them. Give them more than one target heading in opposite directions.

"We split up," Daryl announced.

He had been right when he'd made his offhand comment last night.

 _Life was_ not _fair._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo...managed to get the chapter written a whole week early with how much inspiration the premier gave me! Woo hoo! Couldn't wait to post because I'm pretty excited about this chapter! Chapter 20 is planned to be the last chapter of this 'book' so long as I can get it wrapped up in a nice neat little package. 99.5% positive I can so expect chapter 20 to be the last chapter! I'll try to get it posted next Sunday...but no promises. I want it to be the best it can be without setting a one week expectation. So we'll shoot for 2 weeks, as per the norm, but I'm hoping to post next Sunday! So! Send me your thoughts and theories! Can't wait for TWD episode 2 tonight! XOXO


	20. Chapter 20

 

 

**Disclaimer:** A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.  
 **  
 **Thank you**** Nicole137137 for editing this series for me! Thank you for letting me bounce ideas off you and knocking sense into me when I was being too OCD!

**Thank** **you** to all my readers who have suggestion my fanfic to others or posted about my story on tumblr! I cannot express how grateful I am that you guys think so highly of my writing to suggest it for others to read!

**A/N:** I wanted to have this uploaded earlier, but we had trick or treating at the church! Still before the episode though!

This is the final chapter of book two. As I did with the last book, I will post an 'Author's Note' chapter as chapter 21 with the title of the third story once I upload the first chapter. I'm naming the third, and final book, _For the Ones You Protect_. For those of you who follow me as an author, you will get the announcement, but this is for those who are only following this story! I don't want you guys to miss out if you're interested in reading the third book! So, without further ado, please enjoy!

…

They were running. Her lungs burned and her sides ached. She had lost feeling in her legs long ago, struggling to put one foot in front of the other as she kept up with Daryl. Her throat felt as if sandpaper had scraped her raw from her yelling. She wouldn't be surprised if her voice left her completely by the time they were through.

"To your left," Beth screamed to Daryl, who narrowly avoided a walker as they barreled past.

They had decided that she and Daryl would take off westward, taking as many walkers with them however they could get their attention. Once the herd was going after them, Maggie and Glenn would do the same in an eastern direction. The idea was to confuse the walkers so that the herd didn't go in one specific direction. They needed to get them farther out, away from the train tracks so that should they continue south, they would bypass Terminus altogether.

Glenn hadn't been a fan of the idea, but they didn't have any other options. The herd, one of the largest they'd seen in some time, was heading straight down the tracks to the gates of their residence. Had they taken a vehicle, they could have attempted to plow through and redirect the herd back north, but they had unanimously decided to go on foot. The vehicles would better serve Rick and the group at Terminus if they needed to make a quick escape. There was a chance they would come back empty handed and they didn't want one of the vehicles they had taken to be the difference in a few more lives saved if an emergency actually occurred while they were away.

So it had been with a heavy heart that they had split up, agreeing to meet in front of the neighborhood she and Daryl had seen the first car. Maggie and Glenn would have a shorter trip, as they were running in the general direction of the neighborhood, while she and Daryl would have to loop back around once the walkers were taken far enough out.

One situation that hadn't been completely accounted for was the vast number of walkers _not_ in the herd. They knew they would attract a few more walkers to join them, but the overwhelming numbers appearing from behind trees and standing from where they lay in the overgrown pastures was alarming. They were surrounded and it was all they could do to push through and keep running.

"There's too many of 'em," she heard Daryl yell somewhere beside her, "We gotta' cut north. They're out far 'nough now."

"They jus' keep comin'," Beth replied over the groaning of the undead.

Following the discolored patch of angel wings that adorned the back of Daryl's vest, Beth tried to control the sense of panic crawling up her insides and clawing at her throat. Clenching her teeth together to keep her fear locked away, she was forced to end a walker that had positioned itself between her and Daryl. Pulling the knife out of the walker's skull, she felt a tug on her hair and was nearly taken to the ground.

There was no keeping Daryl's name from tearing past her lips when she couldn't pull herself free. She turned back as much as she was able and tried to pry away the hand grasping her hair, but her fingers meshed into the rotting flesh. With her fingers slick in deteriorated flesh that began peeling away from the bone the more she tore, she was unable to detangle herself.

"Daryl!" She screamed for a second time, realizing how close the walker was to the back of her throat and that the rest of them were zeroing in on her.

A walker to her right was now within reach and she struggled to thrust her blade into its cranial region. Her first stab landed closer to the jugular and blood sprayed her face. Quickly adjusting herself as much as she could, she swung her blade and managed to land a blow upward through the nasal cavity. As soon as the second walker fell, she felt the tug on her hair tighten, ripping her backwards, and then she was free. Daryl began pushing her forward; helping her balance, and then they were running once more.

If they could just get a little distance between them and the herd. If they could just reach the tree line and escape how exposed they were in the field. If they could just keep going, the trees would provide the obstacles they needed to slow the walkers down and get away.

Her feet felt like lead. Her calves had cramped so hard they were like rocks. The air she breathed tasted like fire. Her arms were numb and she wasn't sure she was holding her knife or if she had dropped it while running. She was finding it harder and harder to keep those wings in focus. They had been running for miles and Beth was at her limit. She knew her back would be bruised from how hard her crossbow was bouncing against her muscles, but she had to keep going. The harder she tried to push herself, the slower she felt herself running.

"Almost there," she encouraged herself.

Clenching her teeth once more, making her jawbones ache to give her a more intense pain to focus on, even for a moment, Beth burst through the trees. Her body suddenly felt lighter. She began regaining feeling to her arms and gripped her knife tightly in her hand. Her feet propelled her forward and her crossbow felt like a protective blanket instead of a jabbing pain.

When they reached the road, Daryl collapsed onto the ground. They only had a few moments to catch their breath before they had to start moving again. They had gained several hundred yards on the walkers, but they didn't tire. The undead would continue chasing them long after their bodies gave out.

Collapsing beside him, Beth closed her eyes and laid her forehead against the cool asphalt. She just needed a few seconds of complete respite so her muscles could unclench. When the groaning was in earshot, she knew they needed to go.

"Come'on," Daryl tugged at her limp arm, "We ain't outta' tha' woods yet."

Beth managed a small smile at Daryl's play-on-words, but was too exhausted to form a witty comeback.

Pushing herself off the ground, she looked to Daryl, "I'm good."

Daryl looked her over before nodding.

They had managed to deter the walkers…this time. She just hoped Glenn and Maggie hadn't had as much trouble as they did.

…

It was later in the afternoon before they broached the edge of the community they had set-up as a meeting place. Beth had her crossbow drawn, ready to fire. Daryl mirrored her as they walked through the ditch.

Beside her Daryl let out a fluctuating whistle, much like that of a bird, and they both listened. When no reply came, Beth's stomach dropped. A million horrible scenarios raced through her head, all of which involved a vehicle with a cross on the back windshield. Daryl whistled louder and they both stood completely still, listening for the reply.

"You hear that?" Beth looked to Daryl.

"They're in tha' neighborhood somewhere," he answered quietly.

Beth didn't like walking so openly down the street, but without knowing where Glenn and Maggie were held up, they didn't have much choice. At every intersection, Daryl would whistle, and they would turn in the direction of the reply. Four intersections, two left turns, and a right turn through the housing district and Glenn came into sight.

"You guys look like hell," Glenn observed running toward them.

"We attracted more walkers than we bargained for," Beth admitted tiredly.

"We agreed t'meet at tha' front of the neighborhood," Daryl grumbled.

"You guys were takin' forever. We cleared a house for us to stay in tonight. We needed a decent lookout location if we're going to be staking out the neighborhood for a few days," Glenn said with an unsure smile.

"That was a good idea," Beth tried to reassure him.

Daryl glared at her and remarked directly to her, "We said tha' front."

Beth made a face, "Its _fine_ Daryl. We found them didn't we?"

"We uh, felt too exposed waiting alongside the road. After an hour or two we decided to do a quick check around the neighborhood," Glenn began cautiously, his eyes darting suspiciously between the two of them, "Found this place. The second story has a room with a clear view of the road you guys saw the truck drive in from. We have a good view of the entire block from another room upstairs too. Best vantage point we could find."

"We'll need it," Daryl gave Glenn an approving look, "Maggie inside?"

Glenn nodded his head, but made no move to follow Daryl.

Beth watched the wings on his back as he walked up to the house. It was strange how the back of his vest, with how stained and tattered it was, acted as a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for her. Whatever happened, wherever they were, she knew that as long as she had those wings in sight, they would make it to see the next day.

"Should we make sure they don't kill each other?" Glenn half-joked.

Beth smiled, "Daryl can take care of himself."

Glenn gave her a smile that said he shared her thoughts. Knowing Maggie, it was Daryl's safety they were more concerned about. Beth knew they wouldn't come to physical blows, but there would definitely be some words said and feathers ruffled.

"You guys okay?" Glenn asked softly.

Beth looked over to see Glenn already staring back at her, "Yeah. Jus' tired."

"Are you going to be okay?" Glenn inquired in the same tone.

She glanced around the neighborhood. The sun was beginning to set and the temperatures had already begun to drop. The ominous feeling that had crawled up her spine was missing. It was just quiet, almost peaceful, and Beth couldn't help but feel it was some sort of calm before the storm.

"I will be," Beth replied vaguely.

After deciding that standing in the middle of the road wasn't the best place to be, they moved to sit on the porch. Beth could hear the muffled voices inside, but couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

When things finally quieted down, Beth heard the screen door protest when it was opened, and turned to see Daryl standing in the doorway.

"Maggie went upstairs," he said to Glenn, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Thanks. You gonna' be okay staying out here?" Glenn questioned as he stood and dusted off his jeans, "It's getting dark. You can smoke in the house. It won't bother us."

"Gives Beth a headache," Daryl mumbled while lighting the cigarette held between his lips.

Beth smiled and nodded when Glenn looked down at her with a confused expression. She knew he didn't doubt what Daryl had said, but more questioning how he knew. They hadn't been with her and Daryl for however long it had been after the prison fell. They hadn't seen them interacting much together except for when it had come to slaying zombies or killing Termites. They had no way of knowing just how well she and Daryl had gotten to know each other.

"Oh, okay," Glenn scratched the back of his head, "Well…we'll be inside. Holler if you need us."

"Yeah," Daryl smirked, "Like you'd be able to hear us."

Glenn laughed awkwardly in response and Daryl's eyes seemed to have unconsciously made their way to hers. Beth didn't blush too often, but knowing exactly what he was suggesting made her cheeks feel warmth. Daryl cleared his throat and quickly turned his gaze toward the neighborhood.

"Well…I'll just, umm, yeah," Glenn fled into the safety of the house.

Beth laughed out loud. It was a genuine laugh. One she hadn't experienced in some time. The elation trickled through her whole body and made her feel lighter. She sat on the porch smiling until Daryl finished.

"We should head in," he said while still looking out over the neighborhood.

Beth sighed contently, "Kinda' feels like after the prison, don't it?"

She heard footsteps beside her as Daryl walked up the porch.

"A bit," he replied, standing at the door, waiting for her.

Pushing herself to her feet, she followed Daryl into the house and helped him barricade the door. Maggie and Glenn were in the kitchen, sorting through supplies, and Beth gave her a smile as she and Daryl stood across the island from them.

"I lit some candles in yer' room already," Maggie gave a small smile while glancing between the two of them.

"Thanks," Beth turned to Daryl, "Where are you sleepin'?"

His eyes cut to the living room, but Maggie answered before he could reply.

"We took the guest room. The master bedroom…you can't sleep on tha' bed," Maggie looked wearily toward the shut door off the rear of the living room, "The room across from ours has a full size bed."

"Oh," Beth peeked up at Daryl.

"I can take tha' couch," Daryl suggested looking down at Beth.

The note in his voice expressed how unsure she felt. The thought of sleeping next to Daryl didn't bother her. They'd done it a million times, but the fact that Maggie was so casual about them being in the same room together threw Beth off kilter. She knew Maggie had no issue with whatever it was she and Daryl had, but she didn't think her sister would be so nonchalant about Beth sharing a bed with him. Catching how the last phrase sounded in her head, Beth wasn't sure what expression her face held.

"We're all adults here. No reason to sleep on an uncomfortable couch when there's a bed upstairs," Maggie commented, not looking up from putting their supplies back in the bag.

There was a cheesy grin on Glenn's face and Beth didn't have to be a mind reader to know what he was thinking.

"You two go'on," Maggie stopped and stared each of them straight in the eyes, sliding a few cans of food across the island, "We'll finish up here. You need yer' rest more than us. We'll take first watch."

Neither Beth nor Daryl had managed to form a coherent sentence after Maggie's declaration. It was odd, feeling like they were children being dismissed when her sister had just proclaimed them all to be consensual adults, all but ordering Daryl that he would be sleeping in the same room as Beth.

Giving Maggie a quick hug goodnight, Beth grabbed the canned goods and made her way upstairs with Daryl on her heels. When the door shut and she had set their food down, Beth spun around and faced Daryl.

"What tha' _hell_ did you two talk about while we were outside?" Beth whispered hoarsely.

"We shared a few words. I told her the next time she's s'pose to tell you somethin' she'd better damn well do it or _I_ will," Daryl sounded affronted.

"And that's it?" Beth tilted her head, expecting to hear more.

"I told her t'stop babyin' you," Daryl rubbed the back of his neck.

Beth's eyes narrowed, "Uh huh...what else?"

"Why're you askin' me?" Daryl groused and glared at her, "You two'll get together and do that… _thing_ that girls do and she'll tell ya' the entire conversation," he finished using his hands to gesture as he spoke.

Beth placed her hands on her hip, "I'm askin' you because…"

Beth suddenly wasn't sure why she wanted to hear it from him more so than Maggie. She knew she could go downstairs right now and Maggie would tell her everything Daryl had said, but it wasn't Maggie's version she wanted.

"Because I want to hear it from you," Beth's tone dropped from incredulous to gentle.

Daryl's glare remained, but it took on a more pensive edge. She could see him working the inside of his bottom lip between his teeth. It had been a long time since Beth had seen Daryl appear as a wild animal backed into a corner, but that was the only way she could describe him in this moment.

"Why does what I say matter so much?" he grit out between clenched teeth.

Beth knew she was treading in uncharted territory. Daryl had always kept his walls reinforced, much as she had, but between the two of them, their walls had long since begun crumbling. She knew she had to choose her words carefully. She couldn't take too long to answer. Couldn't appear to be thinking about how she was going to answer. He wanted her to be honest…and so she would.

"Because you matter. Your opinion matters. What you have to say _matters_ to me," she replied.

"Why?" He buffered her admittance with another question.

"Why does it matter to _you_ why _you_ matter to _me_?" She countered.

They were at a stalemate. She could easily have told him that she wasn't sure exactly how far her feelings went, but that she definitely felt _something_ for him beyond mere friendship. She couldn't even compare her feelings for him to what she had thought she'd felt for Jimmy or Zach. Jimmy had been her first _real_ crush. Zach had been an interesting distraction from how ruthless their world had become. Daryl was something else altogether.

She didn't expect him to answer. She expected awkward silence while they ate and even for a while afterwards. Then she would start talking about a completely irrelevant subject and they would come back to this conversation whenever Daryl decided he wanted to have the discussion. So when he answered her, she couldn't stop the butterflies that flitted so freely in her stomach or her heart beating irregularly in her chest.

"'Cause you're important," he muttered staring down at the floor, leaving off the unspoken 'to me.'

She couldn't see his expression hidden behind his shaggy hair, but she knew he was looking at her. She could feel him gauging her reaction. Even now, she felt as if he was expecting some sort of rejection.

Smiling, she moved to stand in front of him and gently placed her hands against his face, forcing him to look at her. Standing on her toes, she pressed her lips to his. The 'thud' of his crossbow hitting the ground should have been her first warning. When he pushed the strap of her weapon off her shoulder and tossed it without looking should have definitely been her second warning. The final warning that got her attention was the feel of his hands slipping under the hem of her shirt to pull her tightly against him. By then it was too late. She was far too invested in the pressure of his lips and the rough, calloused fingers against her skin.

Reaching up she pushed his jacket, along with his vest, off of his shoulders and he let her go long enough for them to slide down his arms as they landed in a heap around his feet. Her jacket was shrugged off next, her shirt following somewhere afterwards, and then she began unfastening the buttons of his shirt. She fumbled with the fastenings, realizing her hands were shaking, and mentally congratulated herself when she was finally able to get one undone. The rest followed quickly and she helped him remove his first true article of clothing.

Things suddenly became very _real_. She wasn't scared, per say, because she trusted Daryl, but that didn't make her any less nervous. She had gotten a little handsy with Jimmy, but nothing of this nature. Her shirt falling to the floor marked the farthest she had ever been with a man. The thought was soon forgotten when her lips found his once more and she could _feel_ so much more of him as her bare skin pressed flush against his.

She couldn't see much of him in the dim lighting, but her hands traveled over his chest and torso, creating a map of which she didn't need her eyes to see. She could feel his touch, feather-light in some places, and certain in others. However, neither made a move to divest any more of their clothing.

Beth thought perhaps he was making sure she didn't feel pressured. That she had a choice to stop what was happening or continue. She had no experience past what they were doing, but she didn't want him to think she was scared. Pressing her lips firmly against his, she pulled back, sliding her hands down his chest and abdomen to the belt holding up his pants. When he froze she looked up at him.

"I don't really know what t'do from here," she bit her bottom lip nervously and tried to keep her voice from quivering, "but I'm…I'm not scared."

She could see the muscles of his jaw clenched tightly and his eyes darted between hers so fast that Beth furrowed her brows at his expression. When he didn't reply, Beth felt her hands tighten on the strap of his belt to keep them from shaking harder.

Not brave enough to stare at his face any longer, Beth looked down at her hands, "Will you…can you tell me what to do? I mean…I _know_ what happens…theoretically. I've jus' never…"

The silence in the room became thick. As the minutes dragged on without a word from Daryl, she found it hard to breathe standing so close to him. In some sort of twisted sense of irony, Beth found herself feeling the cold, emptiness of rejection.

Stepping back and scooping her shirt up off the ground, she quickly covered herself. She had hoped that Daryl would stop her, like she'd read in her silly romance novels or seen on those cliché soap operas her mother used to watch, but instead he stood where she had left him staring down at the floor.

Stepping around him, she picked up her crossbow, snatched her dinner off the table, and left the room. Knowing she wouldn't get any sleep and finding it easier to breath with Daryl being shut behind the door she'd just closed; Beth walked downstairs and told Maggie and Glenn to get some rest. They had protested, but she had been adamant in taking over. There was no point in them losing sleep when she had no hope of shutting her mind off to relax. She'd only find herself in a fitful slumber for a few hours at best in her current mood.

She waited until she felt Maggie and Glenn were either asleep or too preoccupied to come down and check on her to let herself shed a few silent tears.

…

It had been hours, judging by how much candle wax had melted, since she'd come downstairs. After the initial burn of Daryl's lack of response had worn off, she had sat and ate, never tasting the canned beans, in angry silence for a while. When her anger began making her fidget, she paced the room replaying the entire incident and wondering where she had went wrong, before finally giving up and sitting down to clean her crossbow.

Hearing footsteps from the stairway, she had first assumed it to be Glenn or Maggie coming down to relieve her, but out of the corner of her eye she recognized the worn flannel shirt. He stood at the end of the couch she was sitting on, silently watching her, and she refused to acknowledge him.

He shifted, obviously as uncomfortable as she was, but said nothing. They remained that way for a while before he finally cleared his throat.

"I dunno' what t'do either," his voice rough and she could tell he was on edge.

"About what?" She snapped, refusing to assume he was referring to her statement earlier.

"I dunno' what t'do…I've never…" His sentences were forced and choppy.

Sighing in exasperation, Beth looked up from her cleaning to glare at him.

"You've never _what_?"

The expression on his face was one she had only seen a few times. Once at the funeral home, another time when he'd helped her breath on the roof, and the night he'd complimented her long hair. His eyes were intense and she could see the vulnerability he was affording her.

Her anger and frustration melted away as she comprehended what he was saying.

"You've _never_ …with _anyone_?" She tried to school her face and keep from conveying her shock outwardly, but this definitely was _not_ the explanation she had been expecting.

Daryl solemnly shook his head.

"But I thought…well I mean…" Beth fumbled, unsure what to do with the information.

Beth felt a tinge of guilt on the stereotype she had projected on to him. She had seen him as the type to of had a few…several… _a lot_ of drunken one night stands. He was handsome, even if he hadn't been the nicest guy _before_ ,so she had thought that he would have had at least _one_ meaningful relationship with _someone_. The idea that he had _never_ been close enough to anyone to have physical intimacy explained his reaction to her earlier. It explained _a lot_ of things actually, now that she was aware.

"What's kept you from…" Beth let her sentence fade.

He stared at her for several moments before stepping around and plopping down on the couch beside her. He spread his arms out across the top of the cushions and stared at the flame of the candle on the table in front of them.

"While back Merle had just gotten' outta' prison. Was his first time in. He got busted for sellin' prescription meds. I think I was eighteen or nineteen at tha' time. We's all each other had so when one'ah the pricks from his gang found me an' told me he was gettin' out, I went an' picked him up. Quit the job I had at tha' motorcycle shop and started runnin' with Merle," Daryl began with a far off look in his eyes.

Beth put her crossbow beside her and leaned back on the couch, folding her knees up to her chest. She could feel Daryl's arm resting against the back of her neck as she listened intently.

"I made tha' mistake of tellin' tha' fucker about my personal life. Few nights later we're at 'ah bar outside of Atlanta. Piece of shit hole 'n the wall. 'Fore I know it we're all drunk as hell and Merle announces to tha' whole group about my lack of 'ah sex life. Say's he's gonna' help me with my 'situation.' Shoves me in tha' back room with a hooker and tells me to have at her," the look on his face would've had her thinking he was amused if not for the tone of his voice.

She didn't know Merle very well. She'd heard about him from others and none of the stories had been flattering. When she met him at the prison, she had been less than impressed. Daryl was _nothing_ like Merle. Still, she could almost hear Merle's voice in her head yelling in front of a group of drunken thugs and women soliciting themselves.

_"Listen here baby brother. Ole' Merle's gonna' help you get some. Pop that cherry 'ah yers."_

She could imagine the cheers and jeers that followed. It would have been utterly humiliating. Her heart ached for him, that he had to grow up without a mother even when she was still a presence on earth, a father would who took out his troubles on his children, and a selfish brother who viewed Daryl more as property than family.

"There was never anyone?" She asked tentatively.

"Nah. I didn't get out much when I lived with my dad. We moved around too much when I was with Merle. 'M not exactly good with people. Never had anyone close an' the women Merle had 'ah taste for weren't tha' same as mine," Daryl explained.

Beth reached up and grabbed his hand, wrapping it around her as she laced her fingers through his, silently supporting him. Her only indication that he appreciated her gesture was the tight squeeze of his larger hand around hers.

"Merle an' I went our separate ways after tha' bar. Did my own thing for 'ah while, he went back t'prison a couple'ah times, but somehow he always managed t'rope me back in when he got out. He'd say he was clean, then start tha' same shit over again in a new town," the frustration evident in his voice.

She couldn't imagine moving around from town to town, hoping each new place would be the fresh start he had been desperately seeking. It saddened her that he could only find his clean slate when the world they had known shattered.

"I never told him nothin' about my personal life an' let him assume whatever he wanted. He sent more woman my way, but jus' never," Daryl ran his hand down his facial hair a few times in thought, "Never felt right, I guess."

Beth digested the information, wanting to ask more, but not wanting to push him on such a touchy subject. Instead she decided to do what she did best and try to lighten the mood.

"So I guess this is gonna' be the blind leading the blind, huh?" She teased with a smile.

Daryl smirked and finally looked at her, "Seems that'ah way."

Beth let her temple rest against her arm as she leaned into him, "Thank you for tellin' me."

"Felt it needed t'be said. After earlier," he reached up and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

After their marathon with the walkers and flurry of emotions she'd been through, she found herself beyond exhausted.

"Let's get t'bed," the smirk still playing on his lips, "Maggie and Glenn can take over for 'ah while."

Beth agreed and allowed herself to be led back to the room she had stormed out of hours earlier. Collapsing on the bed, she heard Daryl knocking on the bedroom door to of the guest room, and she let her eyes slide shut.

The night hadn't ended as she expected from where things had begun when they first entered the room. She did feel as though they have reached a milestone that would never have been attainable regardless of the amount of physical intimacy.

When Daryl climbed into bed, she automatically scooted closer. Before slumber claimed her, she recognized the sudden weight over her side to be Daryl's arm, and as she drifted off to sleep a smile played on her lips.

…

The following day they stayed indoors for the most part. Beth, Maggie, and Glenn conversed most of the morning. Daryl had insisted on taking first watch of the road in the office upstairs. Beth hadn't offered to keep him company. She could read his body language and knew he needed some time alone.

"He's different," Maggie had announced while they sat on the couch in the living room.

"Who? Daryl?" Beth looked up from the dusty book she'd found in the room she shared with Daryl.

"Yeah," Maggie replied.

"I suppose so," Beth shrugged her shoulders and went back to reading.

"I've noticed it too," Glenn added.

"It's like he's…more approachable," Maggie tapped her finger against her chin as she contemplated her explanation.

"Kinda'. Yeah," Glenn agreed, "He doesn't seem as angry at the world."

A smile played on Beth's lips as she remembered the taste of moonshine and the smell of smoke as the two mingled to create a blaze that burned all that symbolized their pasts.

"You know somethin'," Maggie raised her eyebrow as she watched Beth out of the corner of her eye.

"I know uh' lotta' things," Beth's smile disappeared as she buried her nose in her book.

"Well, whatever it is," Maggie sighed, "You obviously had somethin' t'do with it."

Beth flipped the page, not reading any of the words as her eyes skimmed over the crisp paper.

"It's definitely a change for the better. Carrying around baggage like Daryl has…it's a wonder he's made it as far as he has without totally losing it," Glenn murmured, looking toward the staircase.

"He's a Dixon," Beth replied as if the name alone answered everything.

Beth had no intention of telling them anything, regardless of the angles at which they tried to manipulate the information from her. What had happened that night, at the moonshiner's cabin, and everything thereafter was between her and Daryl. The incident itself was of no consequence, as the owner had long since vacated, but Daryl was a very guarded person. If he wanted them to know his business, he would tell them. Her silence on the subject of Daryl's inner demons must have been obvious because her sister and brother-in-law soon gave up trying to pry anything from her.

"Well," Glenn exhaled; standing and softly clapping his hands together, "Good talk. I'm gonna' go check on Daryl."

"I'll figure us somethin' out for lunch," Maggie said, following Glenn out of the room.

Beth smiled to herself and closed the book, intent on more thoroughly exploring the house. Glenn and Maggie had checked all the rooms before they had gotten there but Beth had a curious streak in her. Setting her book on the table, Beth stood and stretched her arms high over her head, catching sight of the door that had been closed since before they arrived out of the corner of her eye.

She knew what to expect when she opened the door to the master bedroom. The underlying smell of death still lingered in the room as Beth covered her mouth and nose with the bottom of her flannel shirt. The owners of the house had checked out early if their remains were any indication.

To Beth's relief, there weren't any children in the room. There was, however, a guitar case in the corner of the room with a note attached. Beth walked over to the case and hesitated when reaching for the yellowed paper. She glanced back at the partially skeletal bodies and clenched her outstretched hand into a fist. Making up her mind, Beth snatched up the note and flipped it open to read it.

_'To whoever has survived long enough to find this note…'_

Beth breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling less guilty about reading their final wishes, Beth skimmed over the note. Their daughter had been in college in Atlanta. After a year of holding up in their home, with their daughter never showing up, they had decided they would go to her.

Beth bit her lip, remembering a conversation with Carl about what happened to a person if they became a walker. Did they go to heaven? They obviously weren't the same as when they were alive after they reanimated and if the body was only a vessel, then their soul should have moved on after their death. Beth _had_ to believe that…for her father's sake.

"What'd you find?" Daryl asked from the doorway.

"There's a guitar inside," Beth said over her shoulder, "they said whoever found it could have it."

Daryl snickered, "Not like they got much choice in tha' matter."

"I feel less guilty knowin' they were givin' it away," Beth turned to look at him.

Daryl nodded, understanding Beth's sentiment.

Grabbing the guitar case, Beth brushed past him and took it back into the living room and set it in the corner, intent on fiddling with it later.

"Maggie should have lunch sorted," Beth glanced from the kitchen to find Maggie opening a few canned goods they had found in the cupboards.

"Can you play it?" Daryl asked, gesturing toward the guitar.

Beth shook her head while her fingers grazed over the outer shell of the case, "No, not really. Otis had showed be me a few notes, but he would play the guitar while I played the piano. We'd all sing and have such a good time."

She stared at the guitar case, remembering all of the times they'd spent in the living room of their farm house with not a care in the world. She could see everyone's smiling faces, alive and happy. She could hear her mother in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She was taken back to a much simpler time in her life from _before_.

"You should try an' play it sometime," Daryl said softly.

She blinked and the warmth from her memories vanished, leaving her in the cold, stuffy house that was not her own. Looking up she found he had moved near her with an expression of concern on his face.

"Maybe I will," she said with a lilt to her lips.

Maggie cleared her throat and announced that lunch was ready; breaking the moment, but Beth couldn't help but feel the lingering remnants of their nights in the farm house and just how much she missed her simple life. However, the apocalypse had brought her to Daryl. Had their group not stormed into their lives, they wouldn't have survived the herd that attacked the farm. If it hadn't been for Daryl, _she_ wouldn't have survived on her own all winter. As long as she was alive, she could carry on the memories of those 'simpler times.' That was her silver lining.

…

It had been several days since Beth found the guitar and they had seen no movement outside of the occasion walker. The feeling of being watched would rise every so often, but for the most part, it had been quiet. Daryl and Glenn had scoured the entire neighborhood for anything that could be of use to them. Glenn had found a car that only needed a jump to get running. Beth had helped them push it in front of the house they had commandeered. The next day she and Maggie had come back with a portable jump starter they'd found in the garage of a house across the neighborhood. Syphoning the gas from the surrounding vehicles, storing the jump starter in the trunk, the car would have a full tank and be ready to go the moment they saw a vehicle with a white cross drive through.

Going on the sixth day with no new leads, they discussed over their meager breakfast whether they should give it one more day or head back to Terminus. They had all left the decision up to Beth. She _knew_ someone was bound to come through eventually, but she had no way of knowing if it would be that night or a week from now. She had decided one more night couldn't hurt and they all decided it would be best to leave at first light.

Sitting on the porch, the sun getting close to setting, Beth watched Daryl tinker with the engine under the hood of the black Honda they'd found.

"Did you enjoy workin' on motorcycles?" Beth asked, referring to their conversation the other night.

They'd made a habit of sharing a few things about themselves from _before_ , Daryl far less revealing than Beth, but she was happy with anything he felt like disclosing.

"It was alright. Paid tha' bills," he said while wiping his hands on his red rag.

"You sure sounded pretty excited when we found that Scrambler," Beth acted more interested in her short, chipped nails than the man staring at her.

She heard him softly chuckle, "Yeah, I enjoyed it."

"You should open a shop someday," Beth's statement was genuine regardless of how naïve she knew it sounded.

"Maybe I will," Daryl repeated her words from the other night in the same, easy tone.

Beth felt a tingle climb up her back as the hairs on her neck rose. She jumped to feet, scraping the porch with her crossbow, and immediately nocked a bolt. Daryl was already moving to the trunk and grabbing the portable jump starter. Beth set her crossbow down beside the car and ran around to the driver side. When Daryl had both cables hooked up to the battery, she turned the key and the car roared to life. He then removed the cables, dropped the hood, and tossed the now dead charger in the yard. It was only a few seconds later that Maggie and Glenn came running out of the house.

"You guys hear that?" Glenn asked slightly out of breath.

"Grab yer' shit and get in tha' car," Daryl hollered, running around the back of the car and busting out the tail lights.

Beth scrambled over the console, rearranging herself in the front, passenger side. Reaching for her weapon, she placed the front of her crossbow, still nocked, on the dash ready to shoot through the windshield if necessary.

"We couldn't grab everythin'. We'll have t'come back by on our way to Terminus," Maggie announced as she and Glenn climbed into the back seat.

Daryl handed Glenn his crossbow and rushed into the driver's seat. The car had flown past them from the direction of the rail road track intersection toward where Beth and Daryl had seen the truck. They could only assume that the group's camp was in the direction they were driving and Daryl wasted no time catching up to the vehicle they had heard approach from the distance.

"Either of you see it?" Daryl asked, looking for taillights.

"No. We ran outside as soon as we heard it, but didn't see where it went. It was already gone by the time I got upstairs," Glenn said from the backseat.

"This could jus' be a wild goose chase," Daryl grumbled.

"It's not," Beth interjected, "It can't be coincidence that this is the third vehicle we've encountered here. That car is goin' to take us to wherever they've set up camp."

The conviction in Beth's voice left no room or argument. They rode in silence, focusing on taillights that illuminated their way in the setting sun.

…

Beth memorized every road sign they passed. The time on the radio was wrong, but from when they had started, they had been driving close to three hours. Having to stay far enough back to be out of sight, they had lost sight of the car several times, but through a few lucky guesses and tracking they had managed to stay on the trail.

"How're we on gas?" Maggie asked, breaking the tense silence.

"Half 'ah tank," Daryl spoke over his shoulder.

"Too much farther and we'll run out of gas before we can get back," Glenn pointed out.

"It'll get us close 'nough. We're used t'walkin' anyhow," Daryl affirmed.

"I remember hearing about this group of Native Americans who could run like two hundred miles in one go," Glenn said jokingly, "So, you know, fifty or so miles won't kill us…walkers might though. So we'll have to make sure and avoid the herds."

"I'd prefer _not_ having to walk too far if we could avoid it," Maggie replied not sounding impressed with Glenn's optimism.

"What're the odds of the alternator charging the battery enough for the car to start again? We're going to have to shut if off when we get…wherever it is that we're goin'," Glenn mentioned as an afterthought.

"Guess we'll find out," Daryl countered grimly.

"They're stopping," Beth interrupted.

Daryl immediately pulled the car off the road and killed the engine. Beth got out of the vehicle, careful not to shut the door too hard, and moved to the front of the car.

"You have any idea where we're at?" Beth asked Daryl who stood beside her.

"Close t'Atlanta. I saw a sign for Sandy Springs," he pointed down the road behind them.

"So what's the plan?" Glenn inquired, handing Daryl his crossbow.

"You two head through the woods," Daryl pointed toward the tree line on the side of the road closer to their car, "Me an' Beth will go around and see what we can find that'ah ways."

"Alright. We'll meet back at the car in a half hour or so," Maggie suggested.

"Sounds good," Beth replied as Daryl nodded.

As they began moving, Beth grasped Maggie's hand, stopping her sister and Glenn, "You guys be careful."

"Same for you guys," Glenn replied.

Maggie squeezed her hand twice and Beth returned the gesture with a small smile.

_'I love you too.'_

Then they were running. The urgency she felt was the same as when they had been running from the walker's, and yet there was no immediate danger in sight. The lack of people had Beth's senses on high alert as they trekked through the woods.

"What is this place?" Beth whispered.

"Looks like an old evac site," Daryl motioned to the army green tents and barbed wire fences.

Beth gave him a look that said she required an explanation.

"'Fore I was with Rick and tha' group, I'd went t'Firesign Stadium. Was 'ah big evacuation site in Atlanta, before walkers got in. Merle stopped me from leavin'. Said a guy was bit on the copter I was supposed t'get on. Me an' him got out. Ended up comin' across Shane and them outside Atlanta," Daryl elaborated while scanning the area below.

Beth said a silent thank you to Merle for saving his brother and joined Daryl in scanning the camp below them.

Without a watch, Beth didn't know how long they had been lurking in the trees. So far all they had seen was a person exit a building, wearing black and carrying a gun. She couldn't be certain of any details because it was a brief glimpse from the light the doorway provided, but they had electricity. That in and of itself was no small feat.

"Maybe they're taking in survivors," Beth adjusted her legs to keep from cramping in her squatted position.

"You see anyone out there lookin' like they're havin' a good time?" Daryl questioned her.

"Think it's another Terminus?" Beth barely whispered.

She would never forget the hanging torsos of what had once been people with flesh covering the exposed muscles as they cleared out everything Gareth and his group had established.

"Can't be much worse," Daryl scoffed.

"You would hope not at least," Beth managed weakly.

"Whoever they are, they're kidnappin' people, bringin' them here, and they got guns," Daryl construed.

"Maybe Maggie and Glenn saw where the car went from their side?" Beth proposed, glancing back in the direction they had come.

"Lead on," Daryl directed as he turned to follow behind her.

They made quick work to get back to the car. Daryl let out a quiet whistle signaling to Maggie and Glenn. There was a rustle in the woods, causing both Daryl and Beth to raise their crossbows, lowering them once they saw their two companions come out of hiding.

"You guys see anythin'?" Maggie asked, standing by the car.

"A guy came out with a gun. They've got electricity. That's about it," Beth sighed, "You guys have better luck?"

Glenn and Maggie exchanged a look and Beth's stomach dropped.

"We saw the car we followed," Glenn began, "They took someone out of the trunk and dragged them inside. They didn't look conscious."

"Whoever they are, they aren't good news," Maggie added.

Beth turned to Daryl to see him already staring at her.

"Come'on," he motioned toward the car, "Let's get out of here."

Beth moved to the passenger side and got in the car. Her heart was racing as she replayed the night she was taken, realizing this is where she would have ended up.

"We'll drop by the house, grab our shit, and head straight back t'Terminus. We need to let Rick and everyone else know what's goin' on," Daryl's gruff voice cut through the tense silence.

No one said a word the entire drive back to the neighborhood, leaving Beth to dwell in her thoughts of what could have been. If these people were bad…they would handle them, like they always did. She just hoped they would be back to find Terminus still in one piece.

…

The full moon was high over their heads when they reached the neighborhood they had left hours before. It was eerily quiet and the light that blanketed the ground made the house appear otherworldly. Beth immediately felt like something wasn't right. Glenn and Maggie rushed into the house to get their items while Beth took a moment to check their surroundings.

"What is it?" Daryl asked a few steps away from her, closer to the house.

"I dunno'. Something just feels…off," Beth gripped her crossbow tightly, eyes scanning the neighborhood.

She didn't really sense that anyone was watching her, and she was aware that her nerves were a bit jumpy from what Maggie and Glenn had seen at the evac site, but there was just an uncomfortable feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"You feel anythin'?" She turned to Daryl.

"It's quiet," he commented and Beth noticed his finger was on the trigger of his crossbow.

"Maybe we're jus'-"

Her sentence was interrupted by Maggie walking out of the front door with her hands up and Glenn following behind her in the same pose. At the sight of a third person, Beth's blood ran cold and she found herself having trouble taking another breath.

"Now, now. Let's not do nothin' that would cause me t'pull the trigger and blow Mr. Chinaman's brain t'bits," a man Beth recognized all too well was holding a gun to Glenn's head as he trailed behind them.

"Either 'ah you hurt?" Daryl growled, lowering his crossbow from the man behind Glenn.

"No. He came up behind us. We didn't even know anyone was in there," Maggie said apologetically moving to stand beside Daryl.

"I want all 'ah ya' to throw your weapons out on tha' ground," the stranger ordered, "Now!"

Beth stood frozen in place barely hearing the sound of Daryl's crossbow hitting the ground.

"You get over there with them. No sudden moves," he shoved Glenn toward Maggie and Daryl.

"What d'you want," Daryl hissed angrily.

"Yer' still stubborn I see," their visitor directed to Beth, "Get yer' ass up here and drop yer' weapon or I start shootin'."

Beth's eyes narrowed at as shock made way to vehement anger.

"This one got me into lots of trouble," the man gleamed as his eyes raked over her body.

Daryl quickly put two and two together and turned hostile.

"Ah, so you've told 'em about me, haven't ya'," the way he rubbed his unblemished throat and smug smile made Beth's stomach churn.

He looked to be in his fifties, maybe older, with the same bald head and beady eyes she remembered. She could see more distinct features than she could before while she was busy fighting for her life. He was thin, starved looking, and a little shorter than Daryl. His cocky grin held a few missing teeth and Beth felt herself beginning to see red just as much as she did in their last encounter.

With her aggression reaching its peak, she began frantically coming up with a plan to get everyone out of there when felt herself being tugged backwards; a set of wings filling her vision.

"If you knew what was good for ya', you'd keep them eyes on me," Daryl snarled.

"Ah, I remember you now," the man tapped his gun to his chin, "Yer' the one I took her from."

"I'm gonna' tear you t'fuckin' pieces," Beth could feel the anger rolling off of Daryl.

"And what's some backwoods, redneck gonna' do? Huh? You ain't even got yer' crossbow. I'd have you all dead 'fore you could even get to it. You too stupid to realize that the one holdin' the gun calls the shots?" The man snarled while waving around the revolver in his hand.

Beside Daryl, Glenn was tugging at the front of his shirt, and at first, Beth had thought it was out of nervous habit. After several more tugs, she paid closer attention, barely making out the impression of a gun underneath the material.

She could hear Daryl throwing insults back and forth with the man and she used the verbal distraction and Daryl's body acting as a shield to lift the gun from the hem of Glenn's pants.

"What do you want with us?" Glenn yelled once Beth had the gun in her hand.

She recognized the gun to be Tara's. The irony that in her most desperate situation, it would be Tara that was there to help her was fitting. Tara had saved Maggie. Now she was saving Beth and her most precious people.

As quietly as she could, she pulled the slide over the barrel of the gun back, loading a bullet in the chamber. She couldn't risk making more noise to see how many bullets were in the clip, but if all she had was one shot, she knew she had to make it count.

"I don't want nothin' with you three," the gunman sniggered, "It's the youngin' I'm takin'. Only one that's ever gotten away."

Beth's eyes flitted from Maggie, to Glenn, to Daryl, trying desperately to think of a way to get them out of the line of fire.

"You're not takin' _my_ _sister_ anywhere," Maggie yelled.

"Oh yes ma'am. She's comin' with me. I shoulda' taken her straight t'camp last time," Beth could imagine his expression from the sound of his voice, "But she's such a tasty lil' morsel."

"You sick bastard," Glenn moved closer to Daryl, closing any sliver of space between them and completely blocking Beth from sight.

"You've been followin' us, haven't ya'," Daryl's announcement wasn't a question.

"Why yes. Yes I have. See when you two passed me on that motorcycle," he began pacing leisurely in front of them, "I was able t'figure out you were holdin' up in that old railway station. Had I been able to get her through tha' walkers, I woulda' snatched her up the other night. Woulda' saved me a hell of'ah lot of trouble."

Beth's knuckles turned white around the grip of the gun.

"I plan on pickin' right up where we left off, then takin' her to Officer Lerner," he continued, stepping down from the porch to stand a few feet away in front of them.

"You'll take her over my dead body," Daryl shifted forward ever so slightly.

The man lifted the gun directly to Daryl's head from where he stood, cocking the hammer back, and smiled, "Why that's precisely tha' plan."

Beth could feel the atmosphere around them changing. This man was going to kill them just to get to her. Every plan she thought of risked the chance that the man would kill or injure one of them. If she told them to duck down, there was a chance that they wouldn't move fast enough for her to get a shot off before he could. If she just stepped out from beside Daryl, the scenario was the same. Panic gave way to clarity as a third option came to mind.

"Any last words 'fore I take her off yer' hands?" The stranger directed toward Daryl.

Staring down at the gun in her palm, Beth said a silent prayer, and stepped up on her toes to press a kiss against the back of Daryl's neck, interrupting him before he could reply with his 'final words.' She then put her hand slightly behind her back and stepped out from around Daryl.

"Beth!" Maggie hollered.

"What tha' hell are you doin'?" she heard an odd tone in Daryl's voice.

She stopped a few paces away from the man, his gun now pointed at her instead of Daryl.

"Finally decided t'come out an' play?" The man's grin sickened Beth.

She stood silently, gripping the gun tightly.

"What? Don't got nothin' t'say for yer'self?" His full attention on her as she stood away from the group.

"Yeah," her lips twisted into a smirk that could have rivaled Daryl's, "Burn in hell."

Twin shots echoed through the air as Beth watched the grizzly way the man's head exploded; blood, bones, and other substances splattering the porch and the ground at her feet. She heard voices screaming, but the words were incoherent from the gunshot making her ears ring.

She suddenly felt very tired, with the adrenaline leaving her body, but it was the most peaceful feeling she'd experienced in a while. Her loved ones were safe, for the moment, and she had found the ghost that had haunted her dreams.

She had finally been able to slay her demon.

She had finally been able to keep her promise to Daryl.

_I told you I've got your back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance for the long ending note here!
> 
> **SOOOO...there you have it! Longest chapter to date and BY FAR my most favorite! This is the end of book two! Please do not freak out! Book three will pick right up where two has left off. The ending was left ambiguous for a reason. It gives me the option of playing off of what we see in season five if I so choose. I'd love to hear your theories on what happened to Beth! : )
> 
> **I will be taking a break from For the Ones, but I won't be taking a break from writing! I'll be posting one-shots and drabbles until I've written all the stories that have been floating around in my head! So look forward to those! If you have any drabble suggestions, please leave a word in your review or pm me. I just need a word (I have peaches, farm, and dress/shirt that I will be posting drabbles about as soon as I get them written) so feel free to send them my way!
> 
> **I took a risk with this story and went for an angle I haven't read anywhere; Daryl being a virgin. I actually got this idea from Greg Nicatero. You can watch the video of him saying this on YouTube. Just search:
> 
> Nightline: 'The Walkind Dead': Surreal Zombie World Behind the Scenes
> 
> ABC News anchor Dan Harris went behind the scenes before the season 5 premiere! It's a fun watch!
> 
> I was considering making Daryl the stereotype I've read in most stories, where he's had a few drunken one night stands, but by now you guys have learned that I do my very best to stay true to the characters in the show and keep things as realistic as possible. I honestly think Daryl being a virgin makes a lot of sense considering his…lack of interaction relationship-wise. I could have been like everyone else, but I chose to step out of the box, so I hope you guys appreciate it!
> 
> **The remark Glenn makes about the Native Americans is actually based on fact. Look up the Tarahumara people and read their 'Athletic Prowess.' Pretty interesting! Just FYI.
> 
> **Sandy Springs is north of Atlanta. It's about two and a half hours from Macon and a suburb of Atlanta. Since our group was in the Macon area, having an evac site here was the most logical scenario I could determine geographically. It is my best educated guess that there would be evac sites outside of Atlanta as people fled the city, but since it's all fictional, I did the best I could! : )
> 
> **Yes, the mention of Daryl being at an evac site in Atlanta is a reference to the video game The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct for those who have played it! Definitely wasn't the best game in the world…but you got to play as Daryl so…justified! Lol
> 
> **You guys seemed to appreciate the author suggestions I made last time so here's a few more! This author is on a site called Archive of Our . Search for the queen conquers. She had some Glenn x Maggie stories, but I especially loved her stories:
> 
> Secrets (Give You Indigestion): Glenn only wanted to share his big news, so how did he end up running away from Daryl to avoid spilling Beth's secret?
> 
> He should not be allowed to know things. (Love the interaction with Glenn and Daryl here and she's thinking about writing a follow up story!)
> 
> Didn't See That One Coming: "Are you... planning to kill Daryl? Because I feel like I should point out that a) he's our friend, b) your sister seems attached to him, and c) he's a really good hunter and we all like eating."
> 
> Or, Beth and Daryl are finally reunited, and Glenn doesn't know what's going on anymore. (She is amazing a subtle, natural comedy. I love the way she writes Glenn and the final statement by Beth made this whole little snippet worth reading ten times!)

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the second segment of my trilogy!! For those of you who are new I also have a drabble series that I will update from time to time. It's to bridge the gap between the two episodes "Still" and "Alone." There were some plot holes in how Daryl and Beth got so close between episodes and I felt a drabble series with little tidbits about their adventures would be the perfect solution to how Daryl and Beth got from season 4 to my version of season 5!
> 
> For my returning readers, WELCOME BACK!! I truly appreciate the support and hope part two satisfies you as much as part 1! I'm aiming to upload a chapter a week, more if I have more downtime, but I think this is a fair schedule. Being a single mom of a 4 and 2 year old, I don't have ALL the time in the world to write!
> 
> Give me some feedback and let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from my readers! Reviews let me know you're enjoying the read and encourage me to keep going!!
> 
> For the Ones You Love (Part 1): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1403818/chapters/2944141 
> 
> The Adventures of the Greene Dixon (drabble series): http://archiveofourown.org/works/1480069/chapters/3122332


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